GIFT   OF 
JANE  KoSATHER 


ERRATA 


On  first  line,  page  33,  Jasper  should  be  Jaspar 
On  page  46,  under  election  of  1889,  should  be  included: 
Sheriff: 

A.  J,  Bvrns,  R, 
Ed.  McDaniel,   D. 
Treasurer: 

Len  Follick,  R. 
J.  C.  McLean,    D 
Register  of  Deeds: 

Moses  Black,  R. 
James  Vaughn,  D. 
On  page  58,    the  abbreviation    following    the   candidate 
H.  J.  Sloss,  should  be  D  instead  of  R. 

On  the  4th  line,  page  161,  the  name   Adgar   should    be 
Edgar. 


A  History  of 
Meade  County,  Kansas 


By 
FRANK  S.  SULLIVAN 


g 


•»»•»»     » 


CRANE  &  COMPANY 

Printers,  Binders,  Publishers 

Topeka,  Kansas 

1916 


I 


Copyright,  1916, 

By  Frank  S.  Sullivan, 

Meade,  Kansas. 


•     •     • 


CONTENTS. 

Page 

Foreword 7 

Acquisition 13 

General  History. 18 

Cities 26 

Political 44 

Banks 61 

Newspapers 68 

Churches 72 

Public  Schools 77 

Fraternal  Organizations 78 

Bonded  Indebtedness 81 

Highways  and  Bridges 84 

Automobiles 89 

The  Court  House 92 

The  Salt  Well 96 

Farm  Statistics 103 

The  Old  Calaboose 131 

Biographical 139 


367995 


A  History  of 
Meade  County,  Kansas 


FOREWORD. 

N  presenting  this  History  of  Meade  County  to 
the  public  I  am  timidly  conscious  that  it  will 
meet  the  full  approval  of  none.  In  the  prepa- 
ration of  this  work  I  have  talked  with  five  hun- 
dred people,  and  received  five  hundred  suggestions  as 
to  what  the  book  should  contain.  Being  anxious  to 
please,  but  realizing  my  inability  to  carry  out  the  ideas 
of  the  many  well-meaning  people  and  confine  the  work 
to  one  volume,  I  have  discarded  much  that  is  interest- 
ing, but  it  has  been  my  intention  to  include  all  that  is 
important  or  valuable. 

The  personal  experience  of  every  old  settler  would  be 
interesting  reading ;  the  achievements  of  those  who 
settled  upon  the  frontier  in  the  days  "that  tried  men's 
souls,"  who  battled  with  the  elements,  subdued  the 
wilderness  and  made  the  desert  fruitful,  is  a  story 
worthy  of  the  mightiest  pen  ;  the  exploits  of  "  Hoodoo  " 
Brown,  the  activities  of  George  DeCow,  the  eccentrici- 
ties of  Pat  Mulligan,  the  unconscious  humor  of  Pete 
Hotz,  the  martial  dignity  of  Captain  Osgood,  and  the 
characteristics,  freaks  and  foibles  of  many  others  who 
might  be  mentioned,  would,  if  properly  preserved,  af- 
ford a  source  of  never-ending  amusement  and  enter- 
tainment ;    but  it  would  not  be  history. 

The  inside  history  of  county  politics  as  the  game  was 
played  in  former  days,  the  plans  and  schemes,  the  plots 
and  counter  plots,  the  maneuvers  by  which  tricks  were 

[71 


8  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

taken  and  lost,  would  read  like  a  story  by  George  Ran- 
dolph Chester,  but  I  could  not  go  into  these  matters 
without  violating  the  confidence  of  such  eminently 
good  fellows  as  Bob  Painter,  Doug  Adams,  Fred  Fick, 
Tom  Johnston,  Frank  Fuhr,  Mose  Black,  Fred  Judd, 
et  al.,  and  the  public  would  certainly  not  expect  me 
to  do  that. 

The  history  of  Meade  County  reads  almost  like  a 
fairy  tale.  Organized  in  1885,  the  country  was  widely 
advertised  and  hailed  as  an  El  Dorado  by  people  all 
over  the  East,  who  nocked  here  in  great  numbers,  eager 
to  secure  homes  in  this  modern  Eden.  Cities  and 
towns  sprang  up  as  if  by  magic  ;  railroads  were  sur- 
veyed, manufacturing  establishments  planned  for,  and 
in  a  few  months  the  country  had  the  appearance  of  an 
old-established  community.  But,  alas  for  the  good  of 
the  country!  so  many  who  settled  here  were  not  the 
kind  to  develop  a  new  country.  They  came  mostly 
from  the  old-settled  States  of  the  East,  and  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer  life.  They  be- 
came dissatisfied  as  soon  as  the  novelty  of  the  situation 
wore  away,  and  longed  for  their  Eastern  homes.  To 
get  away  was  no  difficult  matter ;  the  entire  country 
was  enjoying  an  era  of  prosperity,  money  was  easy  to 
obtain,  and  many,  perhaps  a  majority  of  the  home- 
steaders preempted  their  claims,  mortgaged  them  the 
next  day  for  from  $500  to  $1000,  and  left  the  country, 
better  off  financially  than  when  they  came.  So  many 
farms  being  deserted,  business  suffered  and  laxed  for  a 
time,  depression  ensued,  and  then  came  the  fall,  the 
awful,  calamitous,  tumultuous  financial  crash  that 
buried  under  its  ruins  the  wrecked  hopes  and  shattered 


FOREWORD. 


ambitions  of  so  many.  Meade  County  was  not  alone 
in  this  crisis  ;  the  entire  West  was  affected,  and  great 
was  the  havoc  throughout  all.  But  business  adapted 
itself  to  changed  conditions  ;  business  assurance  was 
just  being  restored  when  occurred  the  memorable  open- 
ing of  Oklahoma.  All  eyes  were  now  turned  toward 
"The  Land  of  the  Fair  God,"  and  western  Kansas  was 
practically  forgotten  by  the  outside  world.  Meade 
County,  being  in  such  proximity  to  the  Territory,  suf- 
fered her  proportionate  loss  of  citizens.  Nor  was  the 
lost  population  soon  regained,  as  for  years  practically 
all  emigration  was  toward  the  "Red  Land." 

Being  deserted  by  the  farmer,  the  country  was  natur- 
ally given  over  to  the  cattle-men,  who  for  years  held 
full  sway,  and  gathered  immense  wealth  from  their  herds. 
The  thousands  of  acres  of  rich,  succulent  buffalo-grass 
fed  thousands  of  cattle.  The  usual  mild  winters  and 
light  snows  made  it  practicable  for  cattle  to  graze  the 
entire  winter  and  come  out  in  good  condition  in  the 
spring,  having  consumed  little  or  no  feed  save  that 
which  Nature  had  so  bountifully  provided. 

But  in  time  the  glitter  and  glare  of  Oklahoma  van- 
ished to  a  great  extent.  Land  there,  and  elsewhere 
eastward,  had  advanced  in  value  so  that  a  poor  man 
could  not  own  his  home  ;  landlords  became  so  exacting 
that  tenants  could  not  pay  rent  and  live  ;  the  poor  man 
commenced  to  look  for  a  home,  the  man  with  money 
to  look  for  investments.  Western  Kansas  presented 
her  smiling  prairies  to  the  world  and  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  homeseekers  and  of  investors.  A  few  of  the 
more  venturesome  came  west,  and  those  who  visited 
Meade  County  viewed  with  wonder  the  rich  soil,  were 


10  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

delighted  with  the  climatic  conditions,  enjoyed  the 
pure  water,  breathed  the  exhilarating,  health-giving 
ozone,  gazed  with  rapture  on  the  transcendental  beauty 
of  the  plains,  and  located  here.  They  were  eminently 
successful  in  tilling  the  soil,  and  accounts  of  their  suc- 
cess written  home  caused  friends  to  come,  who  in  turn 
induced  others  to  follow.  This  encroachment  on  the 
range  was  "viewed  with  alarm"  by  the  cattle-men,  who 
did  all  in  their  power  to  discourage  immigration  by 
circulating  stories  of  the  poverty  of  the  soil,  the  uncer- 
tainty of  crops  by  reason  of  insufficient  rainfall,  the 
terrors  of  tornadoes,  and  other  named  and  nameless 
evils.  But  in  spite  of  drouths,  tornadoes,  and  evil  re- 
ports, the  settlers  came  on.  The  large  ranches  shrank 
away  before  the  increasing  tide  of  immigration,  until 
finally  "free  range"  was  no  more  and  the  ranchman 
was  forced  to  buy  his  range  or  go  out  of  business  ;  and 
finally,  recognizing  the  futility  of  resistance,  or  realizing 
that  they  had  been  mistaken,  the  stock-men  joined 
with  the  farmer  in  boosting  the  country,  and  they  now 
work  harmoniously  together. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  in  nearly  every  instance, 
the  man  who  came  to  Meade  County  in  the  early  days 
with  money,  lost  it,  while  the  man  who  came  with  noth- 
ing and  was  either  too  poor  or  too  obstinate  to  leave, 
but  remained  through  all  the  trials  and  vicissitudes, 
has  amassed  a  competence.  And  it  is  to  such  men  as 
these,  such  men  as  Farmer  Bisbee,  A.  V.  Angel,  Lou 
Parsons,  Ed  Dahmer,  Joe  Brannon,  R.  T.  Worman, 
Linn  Frazier,  Frank  Sourbeer,  and  others  of  their  ilk, 
that  Meade  County  owes  its  present  condition  of  de- 
velopment and  prosperity. 


FOREWORD.  11 


The  old  order  changeth.  Where  a  few  years  ago 
could  be  seen,  like  the  patriarch's  herd,  cattle  on  a  thou- 
sand hills,  now  appear  homes  and  schoolhouses  and 
churches,  and  where  once  the  seared  buffalo-grass  alone 
turned  its  bronzed  bosom  to  the  sky,  smiling  fields  of 
waving  wheat  fling  their  banners  to  the  heavens,  and 
acres  of  verdant  alfalfa  greet  the  delighted  eye,  and 
render  odorous,  as  with  sweet  incense,  the  surrounding 
air. 

Frank  S.  Sullivan. 

Meade,  Kansas,  July,  1916. 


A   HISTORY  OF  MEADE  COUNTY, 

KANSAS. 


ACQUISITION. 

In  the  early  days  of  discovery,  exploration  and  settle- 
ment, three  European  nations,  England,  France,  and 
Spain,  claimed  the  territory  out  of  which  Meade 
County  was  finally  carved.  Basing  its  claims  upon  the 
explorations  of  the  Cabots  and  others,  in  1606  the  Eng- 
lish Crown  granted  to  the  London  Company  and  to  the 
Plymouth  Company  that  vast  area  of  land  lying  be- 
tween the  34th  and  45th  parallels  of  latitude  and  ex- 
tending from  ocean  to  ocean.  The  English  made  no 
attempt  to  explore  the  country  so  far  inland,  and  their 
claims  upon  this  territory  were  early  abandoned. 

The  claims  of  the  French  were  more  substantial. 
In  1673  Marquette  explored  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  Mississippi  Valley  ;  his  explorations  were  continued 
and  extended  by  LaSalle  in  1682  ;  in  1719  Dutisne 
explored  a  part  of  the  interior,  including  a  portion  of 
the  territory  of  the  present  State  of  Kansas  ;  these 
explorations  were  continued  in  1724  by  DuBourgmont, 
who  also  entered  and  explored  a  part  of  Kansas.  As 
a  result  of  these  various  expeditions  France  claimed 
the  territory  which  now  comprises  Meade  County  as 
a  part  of  Louisiana. 

The  explorations  of  Spain  were  more  thorough  than 
those  of  France.     In  1528  Narvaez  explored  a  part  of 

[13] 


14  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


the  Mississippi  Valley.  These  explorations  were  con- 
tinued by  Cabeca  de  Veca,  who  had  been  an  officer 
under  Narvaez  in  1734-36.  De  Vaca  entered  Kansas, 
passed  entirely  across  the  State  from  east  to  west,  and 
possibly  crossed  Meade  County.  In  1541  Coronado,  in 
his  search  for  the  fabled  Quivira,  crossed  Meade  County, 
possibly  on  his  outbound  trip,  certainly  on  his  return. 

In  1762  France  ceded  Louisiana  to  Spain,  but  by  the 
treaty  of  1800  it  was  re-ceded  to  France,  and  by  France 
ceded  to  the  United  States  in  1803.  However,  the 
boundaries  were  not  fully  determined  at  that  time,  and 
in  1819  the  United  States  ceded  to  Spain  that  part  of 
Louisiana  lying  west  of  the  23rd  meridian  and  south 
of  the  Arkansas  river ;  so  that  what  is  now  Meade 
County  became  an  undisputed  possession  of  Spain. 

Upon  Mexico  gaining  her  independence  from  Spain 
in  1821  this  territory  passed  from  Spain  to  Mexico,  and 
when  in  1836  Texas  acquired  her  independence  it  be- 
came a  part  of  Texas.  With  the  annexation  of  Texas 
in  1845  it  became  a  part  of  the  United  States,  but  owner- 
ship remained  in  Texas  until  under  the  Omnibus  Bill 
of  1850  it  was  ceded  by  Texas  to  the  General  Govern- 
ment, and  became  a  part  of  Kansas  under  the  Organic 
Act  of  1854. 

The  Legislature  of  1865  fixed  the  boundaries  of 
Marion  County  to  include  the  present  territory  of 
Meade  County.  In  June  of  the  same  year  Marion 
County  was  organized  and  its  boundaries  changed,  ex- 
cluding this  territory,  which  remained  unorganized 
and  unattached  until,  in  1873,  the  Legislature  created 
Meade  County,  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  George  G. 
Meade,   and  fixed  its  boundaries  as  follows:     "Com- 


16  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

mencing  at  the  intersection  of  the  east  line  of  range 
twenty-seven  west  with  the  north  line  of  township 
twenty-nine  south ;  thence  south  along  range  line  to 
its  intersection  with  the  south  boundary  line  of  the  State 
of  Kansas  ;  thence  west  along  said  boundary  line  of  the 
State  of  Kansas  to  a  point  where  it  is  intersected  by  the 
east  line  of  range  thirty-one  west ;  thence  along  north 
range  line  to  where  it  intersects  the  north  boundary 
line  of  township  twenty-nine  south ;  thence  east  to 
the  place  of  beginning." 

In  1881  Meade  County  was  attached  to  Ford  County 
for  judicial  purposes,  until  Meade  County  should  be 
organized. 

In  1883  the  Legislature  dissolved  Meade  County, 
attaching  that  part  lying  east  of  the  east  line  of  range 
twenty-nine  to  Ford  County,  and  that  part  lying  west 
of  the  east  line  of  range  twenty-nine  to  Seward  County- 

The  Legislature  of  1885  again  established  Meade 
County,  with  slightly  different  boundaries,  which 
boundaries  it  has  ever  since  retained,  and  are  as  fol- 
lows :  "Commencing  at  the  intersection  of  the  east 
line  of  range  twenty-six  west  with  the  north  line  of 
township  thirty ;  thence  south  along  range  line  to  its 
intersection  with  the  south  boundary  line  of  the  State 
of  Kansas  ;  thence  west  along  said  boundary  line  of  the 
State  of  Kansas  to  a  point  where  it  is  intersected  by 
the  east  line  of  range  thirty-one  west ;  thence  along 
range  line  to  where  it  intersects  the  north  boundary 
line  of  township  thirty ;  thence  east  to  place  of  be- 
ginning." 

The  same  Legislature  attached  Meade  County  to 
Comanche    County    for    judicial    purposes,    to    which 


ACQUISITION.  17 


county  it  remained  attached  until  the  formal  organiza- 
tion of  Meade  County. 

In  1885  a  petition  for  organization  was  presented  to 
Gov.  John  A.  Martin.  I.  N.  Graves  was  appointed 
census-taker.  His  return  showed  a  population  of  3507, 
of  whom  1165  were  householders. 

Proclamation  of  organization  was  issued  Nov.  4th, 
1885  ;  Meade  Center  was  designated  the  temporary 
county  seat,  A.  D.  McDaniel  temporary  County  Clerk, 
and  L.  S.  Sears,  H.  L.  Mullen  and  E.  M.  Mears  as  the 
temporary  Board  of  County  Commissioners.  The 
election  to  choose  a  permanent  county  seat,  and  perma- 
nent officers  for  the  first  term,  was  held  on  January 
5th,  1886. 

During  the  campaign  the  question  of  the  location 
of  the  county  seat  overshadowed  everything  else,  and 
much  enmity  was  created,  especially  between  the 
partisans  of  Meade  Center  and  of  Carthage.  The  vote, 
which  chose  Meade  Center  as  the  permanent  county 
seat,  was  as  follows  : 

Meade  Center.  .486     Mertilla 3 

Fowler 231     Pearlette 3 

Carthage 188     Odee 2 

Byers 1 

The  election,  which  was  non-partisan,  resulted  in 
choice  of  the  following  officers :  Representative,  R. 
M.  Painter  ;  County  Commissioners,  Chris  Schmoker, 
Hugh  L.  Mullen,  J.  D.  Wick;  County  Clerk,  M.  B. 
Peed;  Probate  Judge,  N.  K.  McCall ;  Sheriff,  T.  J. 
McKibben ;  Treasurer,  W.  F.  Foster ;  Clerk  of  the 
District  Court,  W.  H.  Willis  ;  Register  of  Deeds,  C. 
W.  Adams ;  County  Superintendent,  N.  B.  Clark ; 
County  Attorney,  Sam  Lawrence ;  Surveyor,  Price 
Moody ;    Coroner,  E.  E.  Buchecker. 


GENERAL  HISTORY. 

Long  prior  to  permanent  settlement  the  territory 
now  comprising  Meade  County  was  frequently  visited 
by  hunters,  traders  and  adventurers.  Prominent  among 
these  was  Jedediah  Strong  Smith,  a  great-uncle  of  our 
esteemed  fellow-citizen  E.  D.  Smith,  who  visited  this 
territory  as  early  as  the  year  1818.  Just  who  the  first 
permanent  settler  was,  and  the  date  of  settlement,  are 
matters  of  much  conjecture,  but  it  is  generally  conceded 
that  the  first  permanent  settlement  was  at  Meade  City, 
about  twelve  miles  north  of  the  present  town  of  Meade, 
and  was  in  the  year  1878.  In  1879  a  colony  consisting 
of  sixteen  families  from  Zanesville,  Ohio,  settled  at 
Pearlette.  The  original  Pearlette  was  near  the  site 
of  the  town  afterwards  surveyed  and  platted,  but  not 
the  identical  location.  John  Jobling  was  president  of 
the  company  responsible  for  this  settlement,  and  his 
son,  William  Jobling,  still  a  resident  of  Meade  County, 
is  perhaps  the  "oldest  citizen,"  considered  from  a 
standpoint  of  continuous  residence.  Andor  Eliason, 
who  resided  in  this  county  up  to  the  time  of  his  death 
about  two  years  ago,  settled  in  1879,  as  did  also  Frank 
Sourbeer,  who  is  at  present  an  efficient  magistrate  of 
Meade  Center  Township.  Perhaps  the  oldest  unaltered 
building  in  the  county  is  one  now  on  the  farm  of  Frank 
Marrs,  built  by  Mr.  Sourbeer. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Meade  County 
was  the  Pearlette  Call,  the  first  number  being  issued  in 
April,  1879,  by  Addison  Bennett. 

[18] 


re 
C 


20  HISTORY     OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


The  early  settlers  endured  all  the  hardships  incident 
to  pioneer  life.  For  years  all  provisions  were  freighted 
from  Dodge  City,  then  a  notorious  "border  town." 

The  railroad  penetrated  Meade  County  in  the  year 
1887,  which  gave  business  a  new  impetus  and  practically 
abolished  the  "freighter." 

The  early  settlers  were  buoyant  with  hope,  and  were 
quick  to  indorse  and  accept  any  plan  calculated  to 
develop  the  country's  resources,  and  for  this  reason 
were  rendered  an  easy  prey  to  designing  schemers  with 
"blue  sky"  to  sell.  A  scheme  that  appealed  strongly 
was  a  proposition  to  establish  sugar  mills  for  the  manu- 
facture of  cane  sugar.  Great  encouragement  was 
given  these  enterprises,  township  bonds  were  voted  and 
issued  in  their  aid,  and  at  least  two  mills — one  at  Meade, 
the  other  at  West  Plains — were  built.  The  one  at 
Plains  never  attempted  to  operate,  but  the  one  at 
Meade  encouraged  and  induced  the  farmers  to  plant 
large  acreages  of  cane,  and  contracted  for  the  cane  at 
fair  prices.  But,  unfortunately,  while  the  cane  grew 
and  thrived,  sugar  could  not  be  produced  from  it,  or 
at  least  it  could  not  be  produced  in  sufficient  volume, 
to  make  the  enterprise  a  success  financially,  and  so 
the  sugar-mill  went  the  usual  way  of  wildcat  schemes. 
Underhand  methods  and  fraud  were  alleged,  graft  and 
corruption  were  openly  charged,  but  it  was  never  proved 
that  anyone  ever  made  any  money,  honestly  or  dis- 
honestly, out  of  the  sugar-mill  venture. 

In  the  late  80's  and  early  90's,  the  country  at  that 
time  being  largely  devoted  to  stock-raising,  the  county 
was  sorely  infested  with  cattle  thieves  more  or  less  or- 
ganized,   and    the   aggregate   losses    to    the   legitimate 


GENERAL    HISTORY.  21 


stock-growers  from  these  depredations  were  enormous. 
The  good  citizens  organized  to  fight  the  evil,  many 
prosecutions  were  commenced  although  few  convictions 
were  secured,  but  the  activity  of  the  organization  and 
of  the  prosecuting  officers  eventually  convinced  the 
law-breakers  that  Meade  County  was  an  unprofitable 
locality  in  which  to  pursue  their  nefarious  vocation  ; 
the  bands  were  broken  up,  some  of  the  members  re- 
formed and  quit  stealing  cattle,  and  others  "stole 
away,"  so  that  for  many,  many  years  the  owner  of 
cattle  has  been  able  to  sleep  in  peace,  secure  in  the 
knowledge  that  his  herds  were  safe. 

During  the  decade  from  1890  to  1900  the  selling  price 
of  real  estate  in  Meade  County  was  nil;  there  was 
absolutely  no  demand  for  land  ;  a  good  quarter-sec- 
tion of  land  could  be  bought  for  one  hundred  dollars, 
for  fifty  dollars,  for  twenty-five  dollars,  for  any  price 
one  cared  to  offer,  but  there  were  practically  no  offers. 
The  population  decreased  until  but  few  more  than  a 
thousand  souls  found  refuge  within  the  bounds  of  the 
county.  Most  of  the  land  was  owned  by  the  Govern- 
ment or  by  non-residents  ;  few  of  these  non-residents 
considered  the  land  of  sufficient  value  to  warrant  them 
in  paying  taxes,  and  they  paid  no  tax.  But  finally 
the  cattle  industry  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that 
jealousy  over  the  range  sprang  up,  and  in  order  to 
control  certain  range  some  enterprising  stock-man 
would  buy  a  quarter  or  two  of  land.  Thus  some  slight 
market  for  real  estate  was  created,  but  the  price  paid  was 
usually  from  $50  to  $100  per  quarter-section.  About 
the  year  1900  a  few  adventurous  persons,  investors, 
"speculators"  as  they  were  called,  commenced  buying 


22  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

land  at  the  ridiculously  low  prices  mentioned.  Other 
investors  followed,  land  gradually  advanced  in  price 
to  a  dollar  an  acre,  then  came  the  real-estate  agent, 
who  assisted  the  speculator  in  disposing  of  his  invest- 
ments and  in  boosting  the  price,  the  price  advanced  to 
a  dollar  and  a  quarter,  to  two  dollars  an  acre,  and  then 
came  the  actual  settler.  The  Government  land  was 
homesteaded,  the  land  was  cultivated,  the  results  were 
profitable,  land  continued  to  advance,  until  today  the 
price  of  wheat  land  ranges  from  $15  to  $40  per  acre, 
and  very  little  unimproved  land  can  be  bought  at  the 
lower  price. 

On  August  5th,  1887,  B.  F.  Cox,  while  drilling  a  well 
on  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  5,  Township  31, 
Range  27,  struck  a  flow  of  artesian  water  at  a  depth  of 
142  feet.  These  flowing  wells  were  not  considered  of 
much  value  as  a  commercial  proposition  at  that  time, 
but  the  land  underlaid  by  artesian  water  has  since  at- 
tained a  commercial  value  of  anywhere  from  $50  to  $150 
per  acre,  and  the  beginning  of  the  end  is  not  yet  in  sight ; 
the  possibilities  of  this  particular  portion  of  the  county 
have  not  been  appreciated.  There  is  probably  no 
more  fertile,  productive,  desirable  location  in  the  whole 
world  than  the  famous  Artesian  Valley  of  Meade 
County.  Here  Nature  puts  forth  her  noblest  efforts 
to  please,  and  the  results  are  all  that  the  most  exacting 
could  desire.  Given  the  most  fertile  soil  that  Nature 
has  provided,  the  most  delightful  climate  that  mankind 
enjoys,  and  Nature's  most  precious  bestowal,  pure 
water  (more  than  98  per  cent  pure  by  chemical  analy- 
sis), cool  and  sparkling,  boiling  up  from  the  earth's 
pure  fountains,  with  a  strong  continual  flow,  no  wind- 


1 


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o 


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24  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

mills  to  keep  in  repair,  no  gasoline  engines  to  maintain, 
no  creaking  windlass,  no  moss-grown,  microbe-covered 
bucket,  no  drouth  to  fear,  no  floods  to  destroy, — what 
more  could  a  farmer  desire?  No  one  can  go  through 
this  valley,  so  wonderfully  endowed  with  Nature's 
blessings,  without  a  desire  to  call  a  part  of  it  his  own. 
The  orange  groves  of  California,  the  apple  orchards  of 
Oregon,  the  pine  woods  of  Maine,  the  magnolia  blos- 
soms of  Dixie  Land,  may  appeal  to  some,  but  give  to 
me  a  spot  'neath  Heaven's  canopy  that  puts  to  shame 
the  skies  of  Italy,  where  I  can  see  the  sunflowers  grow- 
ing by  the  roadside,  with  their  golden  faces  turned  to- 
ward their  God,  and  catch  the  fragrance  of  alfalfa  blos- 
soms on  every  zephyr  that  floats  o'er  the  Artesian 
Valley,  and  you  may  have  all  the  world  beside. 

Deposits  of  iron  ore  and  of  peat  have  been  discovered  ; 
salt  is  found  in  more  or  less  abundance,  and  was  at  one 
time  manufactured  by  evaporation,  but  owing  to  lack 
of  transportation  facilities  at  that  time  the  enterprise 
proved  unprofitable  and  was  abandoned.  Immense 
deposits  of  silica  exist,  which  is  just  commencing  to 
be  of  commercial  importance. 

Ira  McSherry,  from  his  farm  about  three  miles  south 
of  Meade,  is  now  filling  a  contract  with  James  H. 
Rhodes  &  Co.,  Chicago,  manufacturers  of  industrial 
chemicals,  whereby  he  furnishes  them  a  stated  quan- 
tity of  silica  per  year  for  five  years.  The  price  real- 
ized by  Mr.  McSherry  is  $2  per  ton,  delivered  at  Meade. 

The  Cudahy  Packing  Co.  own  large  deposits  of  this 
mineral,  and  in  the  year  1915  built  a  railroad  from  their 
mines  a  few  miles  north  of  Meade,  connecting  with  the 


GENERAL    HISTORY.  25 


C.  R.  I.  &  P.  at  Fowler,  for  the  purpose  of  transport- 
ing the  product  of  these  mines. 

The  Puck  Soap  Company  own  silica  beds  just  west 
of  Meade,  and  other  deposits  are  found  in  various  parts 
of  the  county. 

A  great  deal  has  been  written,  and  more  told,  concern- 
ing the  Indian  fight  which  occurred  on  Sand  Creek,  in 
Meade  County,  but  it  is  of  little  importance  in  history. 
In  September  and  October  of  1878  a  band  of  about  two 
hundred  Northern  Cheyennes  left  their  reservation 
near  Fort  Reno  and  started  north,  crossing  Meade 
County,  and  in  fact  crossed  the  entire  State  of  Kansas. 
An  all-day's  fight  took  place  in  the  southeast  part  of 
the  county  between  these  Indians  and  140  soldiers,  the 
latter  being  assisted  by  about  60  civilians,  mostly  cow- 
boys. One  or  two  of  the  whites  were  slightly  wounded, 
and  while  the  damage  to  the  Indians  is  not  definitely 
known,  the  loss  was  small. 


CITIES. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  the  county  commenced, 
and  prior  to  its  organization,  cities  and  towns  sprang 
up  as  if  by  magic,  although  many  of  them  existed  only 
on  paper  and  in  the  promoter's  vision.  Various  town- 
site  companies  were  organized  and  incorporated.  The 
first  of  these  was  The  Meade  Center  Townsite  Com- 
pany, incorporated  May  25th,  1885,  with  E.  M.  Mears, 
C.  G.  Allen,  Henry  H.  Rogers,  Alex.  Bailey,  I.  N. 
Graves,  James  A.  Morris,  and  A.  D.  McDaniel,  direct- 
ors. 

The  Belle  Meade  Town  Company  followed,  incorpo- 
rating June  6th,  1885,  with  J.  M.  Brannon,  Robt.  P. 
Cooper,  John  Schmoker,  James  H.  Elmore,  and  H. 
Chaney,  directors. 

The  next  to  incorporate  was  the  Spring  Lake  Town 
Company,  receiving  its  charter  July  6th,  1885.  The 
directors  of  this  company  were  D.  G.  Stratton,  L.  K. 
Mclntyre,  J.  C.  Marts,  J.  F.  Shore,  O.  Norman,  J. 
W.  Hotz,  Frank  Sourbeer,  Geo.  W.  Winder,  Al  Wirt, 
Geo.  B.  Allen,  and  N.  B.  Clark. 

Then  followed  the  Meade  Center  Town  Association, 
incorporating  July  10th,  1885,  with  W.  P.  Hackney, 
W.  S.  Mendenhall,  R.  L.  Walker,  F.  E.  Gillett  and  Ledru 
Guthrie  as  directors,  none  of  whom  were  residents  of 
Meade  County. 

The  Meade  County  Town  Company  incorporated 
next,  and  on  Aug.  22nd,   1885,  with  John  Werth,   L. 

[26] 


28  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

B.  Ostrander,  Thomas  H.  Campbell,  John  Schmoker, 
and  John  B.  Innis,  directors. 

After  this  came  the  Atwater  Townsite  Company,  in- 
corporated Oct.  18th,  1887,  with  James  E.  McCall, 
John  J.  Mohler,  John  I.  Jones,  Wm.  B.  Long,  H.  L. 
Markley,  John  E.  Maxwell,  and  Lewis  Maston,  di- 
rectors. 

The  Denver,  New  Orleans  and  Rock  Island  Town 
Company,  incorporated  Dec.  7th,  1887,  with  John 
Werth,  John  W.  Taylor,  N.  B.  Potter,  A.  McNulty, 
and  T.  McNulty,  directors. 

The  Massachusetts  Town  Site  Company,  incorpo- 
rated Jan.  6th,  1888,  with  Frank  R.  Gammon,  B.  B. 
Brown,  Willis  G.  Emerson,  Geo.  L.  Stevens,  and  Hugo 
Lundborg,  directors. 

The  Title  Land  and  Town  Lot  Company,  incorpo- 
rated Jan.  30th,  1888,  with  A.  H.  Heber,  Willis  G. 
Emerson,  Geo.  L.  Stevens,  Edward  Doll,  B.  B.  Brown, 
D.  W.  Higbee,  and  Selah  A.  Hull,  directors. 

First  Oklahoma  Town  Company  was  incorporated 
April  13th,  1889,  with  A.  H.  Heber,  W.  F.  Schell,  M. 
W.  Sutton,  Willis  G.  Emerson,  G.  W.  McMillen,  L.  E. 
Steele,  Geo.  Theis,  Jr.,  H.  B.  Stone,  and  E.  M.  Mears, 
directors. 

The  West  Plains  Townsite  Company  was  incorpo- 
rated Dec.  2nd,  1884,  with  Charles  W.  Mosher,  Ed- 
ward M.  Mears,  William  Leighton,  William  Randall, 
and  Morris  T.  Roberts,  directors. 

Besides  these  incorporated  companies  there  were 
several  copartnerships  and  numerous  individuals  in- 
terested in  promoting  towns  and  townsites. 

On  July  9th,  1885,  the  Meade  Center  Townsite  Com- 


CITIES.  29 


pany  purchased  from  the  United  States  Government 
the  south  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  2, 
the  south  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  10,  the 
west  half  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  11,  all  in 
Township  32,  Range  28,  containing  520  acres,  for  $650, 
and  surveyed  and  platted  a  portion  of  the  same.  On 
Oct.  21st,  1885,  an  order  for  the  incorporation  of  the 
city  of  Meade  Center  was  issued  by  Hon.  James  A. 
Ray,  Judge  of  the  District  Court  of  Comanche  County, 
to  which  Meade  County  was  at  that  time  attached  for 
judicial  purposes.  The  organization  was  completed 
on  Nov.  3rd,  1885,  and  at  the  same  time  the  following 
officers  were  elected  :  Mayor,  Peter  E.  Hart ;  Police 
Judge,  William  C.  Osgood  ;  Councilmen,  Nelson  But- 
ton, E.  A.  Twist,  George  M.  Roberts,  David  Truax, 
and  Wm.  H.  Stewart.  The  organization  of  Meade 
Center,  and  the  election  of  the  first  officers,  were  legal- 
ized by  act  of  the  Legislature  of  1886,  and  the  name 
was  changed  to  Meade  by  act  of  Legislature  of  1889. 

On  March  24th,  1886,  the  Townsite  Company  quit- 
claimed the  land  theretofore  purchased  to  the  United 
States,  and  it  was  conveyed  by  the  Government  to 
Peter  E.  Hart,  Mayor,  in  trust  for  occupants,  on  April 
2nd,  1885.  On  March  31st,  1886,  the  official  plat  of 
the  original  survey,  Block  "A,"  First  and  Second  Addi- 
tions, and  out-lots  Nos.  1  and  2,  was  filed.  Several 
additions  were  afterwards  surveyed  and  platted. 

Meade  has  always  been  the  county  seat,  and  has 
always  grown  apace  with  the  country  in  general.  At 
the  present  time  it  has  two  banks,  two  newspapers, 
three  elevators,  good  telephone  and  electric-light  ser- 
vice, one  of  the  best  systems  of  waterworks  in  the  State, 


30  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


and  all  lines  of  general  business,  as  well  as  the  profes- 
sions, are  ably  represented. 

The  1916  census  gave  Meade  a  population  of  886. 

The  town  of  Touzalin  was  promoted  by  the  Meade 
Center  Town  Association.  It  was  located  on  the 
northwest  quarter  of  Section  36,  Township  32,  Range 
28,  and  was  surveyed  in  August  and  September  of  1884. 
The  first  building  was  erected  in  March,  1885.  It  en- 
joyed a  slight  boom  for  a  time,  supported,  or  "sported," 
three  stores,  a  hotel,  livery  barn,  blacksmith  shop,  etc.  ; 
but  within  three  years  after  the  first  building  was 
erected  there  remained  nothing  to  mark  the  spot  where 
the  hoped-for  city  once  stood.  One  handicap  under 
which  the  promoters  worked  was  the  difficulty  in  se- 
curing water  on  the  townsite.  The  buildings  were 
moved  away,  and  one  of  them  was  the  building  occu- 
pied by  The  First  National  Bank  of  Meade  until  it 
was  torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  present  bank 
building. 

The  Mertilla  Town  Company,  Joseph  E.  Sherrill, 
President,  Henry  C.  Shuey,  Secretary,  was  a  copartner- 
ship. They  filed  the  original  plat  of  Mertilla  Nov- 
6,  1886,  which  included  about  fifty  acres,  described  as 
follows:  "Beginning  at  a  point  730  feet  east  of  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section 
30,  Township  30,  Range  29;  thence  north  730  feet; 
thence  west  1460  feet ;  thence  south  1460  feet ;  thence 
east  1460  feet ;  thence  north  730  feet,  to  place  of  be- 
ginning."    Two  additions  were  platted  later. 

Mertilla  early  became  a  town  of  considerable  prom- 
ise. "Red"  Jim  High  was  proprietor  of  the  first  store. 
In  addition  to  this  there  were  two  other  stores,  a  hotel, 


32  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


livery  barn,  blacksmith  shop,  drug  store,  etc.  Dr. 
Ostrander  originally  owned  a  drug  store  in  Carthage. 
After  Meade  Center  had  been  selected  as  the  county 
seat  the  evacuation  of  Carthage  commenced,  and  Dr. 
Ostrander  moved  his  drug  store,  building  and  all,  to 
Mertilla. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1887  Mertilla  commenced  to  go 
the  way  of  Carthage  and  other  defunct  towns  ;  most 
of  the  buildings  were  moved  away,  and  in  another  year 
or  two  there  was  practically  nothing  remaining  to  mark 
the  townsite,  save  the  schoolhouse,  which  afterwards 
burned  down.  The  drug-store  building  was  moved  to 
the  farm  of  J.  N.  Stamper,  and  at  the  present  time  the 
schoolhouse  in  the  Boyer  district  is  the  old  drug  store 
of  Carthage  and  Mertilla,  somewhat  remodeled.  The 
barn  now  on  the  Rexford  farm,  in  Mertilla  township, 
was  built  of  lumber  from  the  old  Mertilla  hotel.  The 
townsite  of  Mertilla  was  vacated  by  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  1893. 

On  May  17th,  1888,  the  Kansas  Town  and  Land 
Company,  owner  of  51  per  cent,  and  George  W.  Ragon, 
owner  of  49  per  cent,  filed  the  plat  of  Jasper,  which  in- 
cluded all  that  part  of  the  east  half  of  the  southwest 
quarter  of  Section  26,  Township  31,  Range  29,  that  lies 
north  of  the  right-of-way  of  the  C.  K.  &  N.  Railway 
(now  the  right-of-way  of  the  C.  R.  I.  &  P.).  This 
town,  being  on  the  railroad,  was  never  absolutely  de- 
serted, but  has  never  attained  any  great  proportions. 
In  1909  Fullington  &  Marrs,  a  real-estate  firm  of  Meade, 
made  some  slight  attempt  to  promote  this  town.  A 
new  site  was  surveyed,  near  the  old  site,  but  was  a 
part  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  25,  and  the 


CITIES.  33 


town  was  called  Jasper,  the  name  being  afterwards 
changed  to  Collingwood,  and  still  later  to  Missler. 

Greensward  was  surveyed,  and  the  plat  filed  Aug. 
21st,  1886,  by  Basil  O'Donald  and  W.  H.  Rubottom. 
This  townsite  consisted  of  sixteen  blocks,  covering  an 
area  1460  feet  by  1470  feet,  partly  on  the  southeast 
quarter  and  partly  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  Sec- 
tion 12,  Township  34,  Range  27.  A  few  lots  were  sold, 
but  that  is  as  far  along  as  the  promoters  ever  got  with 
this  town.  In  1899  the  Legislature  vacated  the  town- 
site. 

Nirwana  City  was  dedicated  by  N.  K.  McCall,  Pro- 
bate Judge,  under  an  act  of  Congress,  it  being  located 
on  Government  land,  occupying  a  part  of  Sections  2 
and  3,  Township  35,  Range  29.  Plat  was  filed  Nov. 
22nd,  1886,  and  showed  twelve  blocks,  each  300  feet 
square,  Block  No.  12  being  set  aside  for  a  public  park. 
This  site  was  afterwards  re-surveyed  and  some  slight 
changes  made.  Nirwana  never  made  any  substantial 
growth,  but  had  at  one  time  two  stores,  a  blacksmith 
shop,  and  a  feed  barn. 

Just  prior  to  the  beginning  of  Nirwana  City,  J.  M. 
Byers  started  a  store  and  blacksmith  shop  on  his  farm 
near  Nirwana,  calling  the  embryo  town  in  honor  of 
himself,  Byers.  Another  little  store  followed,  but  after 
Nirwana  was  laid  out  Byers  moved  his  store,  shop  and 
town  over  to  the  "  City,"  and  the  town  of  Byers  was  no 
more.  The  first  Democratic  primary  held  in  Odee 
Township  met  in  the  blacksmith  shop  at  Byers,  and 
elected  delegates  to  the  county  convention. 

Odee,  while  never  surveyed  or  platted,  was  the  name 
given  a  store  down  in  Odee  township  by  the  sole  pro- 


34  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

prietor,  "Little"  Pratt.  Pratt  sold  out  and  his  suc- 
cessor died,  which  destroyed  any  chance  Odee  may  have 
had  of  becoming  a  metropolis.  A  postoffice  by  that 
name  was  conducted  in  that  neighborhood  until  a  few 
years  ago.  Odee  was  named  in  honor  of  O.  D.  Lemert, 
who  was  credited  with  securing  the  establishment  of  the 
postoffice. 

Fowler  City  was  surveyed,  platted  and  dedicated  by 
George  Fowler,  owner  of  the  land,  which  was  a  part  of 
the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  6,  Township  31, 
Range  26  ;  plat  filed  May  1st,  1886.  Various  additions 
have  since  been  made  to  this  town.  Fowler  City  was 
duly  organized  and  incorporated,  and  flourished  for  a 
time,  but  finally,  as  the  country  gradually  depopulated, 
it  became  dormant,  and  so  remained  for  many  years 
without  city  government,  but  it  was  never  abandoned, 
and  was  always  a  good  trading  point.  In  April,  1908, 
it  was  reorganized  and  municipal  government  again 
established  under  act  of  the  Legislature  of  1907.  At 
that  time  Fowler  had  a  population  of  345.  The  reor- 
ganization proved  a  good  thing  for  the  town  and  com- 
munity, and  Fowler  has  grown  and  prospered  ever  since. 
At  present  it  has  two  banks,  three  elevators,  a  news- 
paper, a  modern  hotel,  municipally  owned  light  and 
water  plant,  and  all  general  lines  of  business  are  well 
represented.  The  1916  census  gave  Fowler  a  popu- 
lation of  503. 

The  West  Plains  Townsite  Company  purchased  Sec- 
tion 16,  Township  32,  Range  30,  from  the  State,  and 
proceeded  to  lay  out  the  city  of  West  Plains.  The 
original  plat  was  filed  Jan.  17th,  1885,  but  an  amended 
plat  was  filed  May  18th,  1886.     This  was  the  original 


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36  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

survey,  and  included  an  area  of  2250  feet  square,  taken 
out  of  the  center  of  the  section.  Later  a  plat  of  the 
first  addition  was  filed,  which  included  all  the  remainder 
of  Section  16. 

West  Plains  was  originally  incorporated  on  April 
26th,  1888,  and,  like  Fowler  City,  prospered  and  lan- 
guished, then  became  dormant  for  many  years,  resum- 
ing municipal  government. 

Again,  like  Fowler,  West  Plains  was  never  entirely 
depopulated,  and  while  for  years  the  number  of  families 
residing  within  its  limits  could  be  counted  upon  one's 
fingers,  it  always  remained  a  good  trading  point,  its 
one  store,  Parsons,  supplying  the  wants  of  farmers  and 
ranchmen  for  as  great  a  distance  as  forty  miles. 

In  1902  Plains,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  commenced 
to  grow,  and  has  enjoyed  a  steady  development  ever 
since.  Quite  recently  an  election  was  called  for  the 
purpose  of  voting  bonds  for  a  municipal  light  and  water 
plant,  which  proposition  carried  without  one  dissent- 
ing vote. 

Besides  a  large  number  of  smaller  business  enter- 
prises, Plains  has  three  large  general  stores,  a  bank,  two 
hotels,  an  efficient  telephone  system,  good  schools, 
Methodist,  Baptist  and  Roman  Catholic  Church,  three 
elevators,  one  of  which  is  the  largest  in  the  county, 
and  claims  the  distinction  of  shipping  more  wheat  than 
any  other  town  in  Kansas.  The  1916  census  gave 
Plains  a  population  of  477. 

Atwater  comprised  the  southeast  forty  acres  of  Sec- 
tion 34,  Township  33,  Range  29.  The  plat  was  filed 
Nov.  9th,  1887.  It  had  a  general  store,  blacksmith 
shop,  public  hall,  etc.     It  was  quite  a  social  center,  the 


CITIES.  37 


principal  social  activity  of  those  days  being  confined 
to  dances  at  the  hall,  at  which  dances  Bill  Long  usually 
furnished  the  music  and  Fred  Judd  did  the  calling ; 
the  proceeds,  after  paying  the  rent,  being  divided  be- 
tween Long  and  Judd  in  the  ratio  of  2  to  1.  A  post- 
office  bearing  the  original  name  was  maintained  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  old  town  until  a  few  years  ago. 
The  townsite  was  vacated  by  the  Legislature  of  1899. 

Rainbelt,  unplatted,  was  located  about  two  miles 
northwest  of  the  present  site  of  Missler,  and  was  quite 
a  little  trading  point  for  a  time. 

Artesian  comprised  about  forty  acres  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  6,  Town- 
ship 31,  Range  27.  The  plat  was  filed  by  F.  M.  Davis 
Dec.  27th,  1887.  Artesian  acquired  two  stores,  a  hotel, 
real-estate  office  of  the  promoter,  and  a  postoffice,  al- 
though the  postoffice  was  acquired  by  the  absorption 
of  another  town.  In  1885  the  town  of  Springlake  was 
commenced  in  the  vicinity  of  where  Artesian  was  laid 
out  two  years  later.  A  postoffice  was  established  at 
Springlake  which  was  afterwards  moved  to  Artesian, 
but  the  name  of  the  postoffice  was  unchanged.  The 
Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company  had  proposed  to 
build  a  railroad  across  the  northern  part  of  Meade 
County,  and  the  town  of  Artesian  was  on  the  proposed 
route.  However,  the  railroad  failed  to  come,  and  the 
town  went.  This  townsite  was  vacated  by  the  Legis- 
lature in  1893. 

Pearlette  occupied  an  area  1460  feet  square  in  the 
northeast  quarter  of  Section  27,  Township  30,  Range 
27.  Plat  was  filed  June  1st,  1886,  by  John  Jobling, 
Jr.,  and  Robert  Wright.     The  original  Pearlette  came 


38  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

into  existence  and  a  postoffice  was  established  in  1879, 
but  it  was  not  surveyed  or  platted  until  1886,  and  the 
site  as  platted  was  nearly  a  mile  from  the  original  loca- 
tion. Originally  the  Joblings  conducted  a  store,  and 
the  postoffice ;  Addison  Bennett  published  a  news- 
paper, The  Pearlette  Call,  for  a  time,  commencing  in 
1879,  but  as  the  newspaper  business  was  not  then  a 
profitable  one  in  Meade  County  the  Call  was  short- 
lived. The  town  showed  some  evidence  of  prosperity, 
but  finally  disappeared,  some  of  the  buildings  being 
moved  to  other  towns. 

Carthage  was  established  by  the  Carthage  Town 
Company  on  the  east  half  of  Section  31,  Township  31, 
Range  28,  about  the  time  that  Meade  Center  came  into 
existence.  It  exhibited  great  signs  of  prosperity  for 
a  while,  attaining  a  population  of  something  like  three 
hundred  or  four  hundred,  and  was  a  very  aggressive 
candidate  for  the  location  of  the  county  seat.  As  soon 
as  this  question  was  settled  adversely  to  the  interest 
of  this  town,  it  disintegrated  with  great  rapidity  ;  many 
of  the  buildings  were  moved  to  Meade,  some  to  other 
towns,  some  to  farms,  and  soon  there  was  nothing  left 
of  Carthage  but  a  regretful  memory. 

Helvetia  was  the  name  given  an  embryo  town  located 
on  Section  2,  Township  30,  Range  30.  This  town  was 
the  creation  of  Abe  Sorter,  who  conducted  a  little  store 
in  conjunction  with  the  postoffice.  A  blacksmith  shop 
was  also  established  there,  but  the  town  failed  to 
44 boom,"  and  ceased  to  exist  in  1888. 

Belle  Meade  originated  in  the  fertile  brain  of  John 
Werth,  and  its  original  location  was  on  his  timber 
claim,  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  8,  Township  31, 


40  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Range  27.  A  postoffice  was  secured,  with  one,  Milli- 
gan,  as  postmaster,  who  also  conducted  a  little  store  in 
connection.  Afterwards  Chris  Schmoker  secured  the 
postoffice  and  moved  Belle  Meade  to  his  farm,  and  still 
later  the  city  was  moved  to  the  farm  of  John  Schmoker, 
on  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  20,  Township  31, 
Range  27.  Here  it  grew  some,  acquiring  two  stores 
and  a  hotel.  The  building  used  as  a  hotel  is  now  the 
dwelling  on  the  farm  of  J.  M.  Wood,  near  Meade. 
Belle  Meade  was  originated  late  in  1879,  or  possibly 
early  in  1880. 

Skidmore  was  the  name  given  to  a  little  store  estab- 
lished on  the  homestead  of  Miss  Skidmore,  in  Section 
8,  Township  31,  Range  28.  However,  the  town  found 
"poor  skidding,"  and  failed  to  prosper. 

Roanoke  was  the  name  of  another  brain-storm,  lo- 
cated on  land  now  owned  by  John  Wehrle,  in  the  Val- 
ley. It  made  no^iurther  progress  than  to  secure  a 
name. 

Another  vision^  the  vicinity  of  the  Eliason  farm  was 
called  Artois,  but.<  fike  Roanoke,  it  existed  only  in  the 
imagination  of  its  promoter. 

The  first  town  with  which  Meade  County  was  threat- 
ened  was  located  on  Section  16,  Township  31,  Range 
28.  "Cap."  French  w^as  a  surveyor  and  locator;  in 
the  summer  of  1878  he  located  two  parties  on  this  sec- 
tion, and  in  conjunction  with  them  he  formed  the  plan 
of  establishing  a  city  at  that  place,  to  be  called  Meade 
City.  A  little  store  was  gut  up,  a  few  other  buildings 
were  erected  Jjrpm  time  to  time,  a  postoffice  was  secured, 
but  the  town  Tailed  to  grow  to  any  appreciable  extent, 
and  was  abandoned  about  1884. 


CITIES.  41 


A  well-authenticated  story  is  told  concerning  an  ad- 
venture of  Cap.  French  during  the  Indian  raid  in  the 
fall  of  1878.  A  band  of  Indians  came  to  Meade  City, 
and,  noticing  a  grindstone,  they  compelled  French  to 
turn  it  while  they  sharpened  their  knives.  It  was  an 
unpleasant  task  for  him,  as  he  fully  expected  that  when 
the  knives  were  all  sharpened  some  Indian  would  test 
the  edge  of  his  instrument  on  his  scalp.  However,  he 
was  agreeably  surprised  when  they  departed  without 
molesting  him  further.  A  short  distance  away,  how- 
ever, they  killed  a  freighter  and  took  possession  of  his 
outfit. 

Another  story  in  connection  with  this  Indian  raid 
is,  that  at  a  ranch  house,  either  in  Meade  or  Clark 
County,  a  large  quantity  of  dried  apples  was  secured, 
of  which  the  Indians  ate  greedily  without  subjecting 
the  fruit  to  the  process  of  cooking.  They  proceeded 
on  their  way  toward  Meade  City,  but  before  reaching 
that  point  one  of  the  squaws,  having  drunk  profusely, 
discovered  that  dried  apples  and  artesian  water  do  not 
constitute  a  proper  combination,  and  died  in  great 
agony.  She  was  buried  in  a  small  ravine,  the  body 
being  placed  in  a  ditch  washed  out  by  drainage-water 
and  covered  loosely  with  earth.  The  body  was  soon 
exposed,  and  about  a  year  afterwards  it  was  found  by 
Oliver  Norman.  The  bones  were  not  intact,  and  Mr. 
Norman  secured  the  skull,  desiring  it  as  a  specimen  of 
Indian  anatomy.  As  portions  of  the  skin  still  ad- 
hered to  the  bones  he  hung  the  skull  in  a  tree  for 
further  "curing."  While  it  yet  remained  in  this  tree 
some  eastern  tourists  observed  it,  and  reported  to  the 
eastern  press  the  discovery  of  a  strange  tribe  of  savages 


42  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

who  disposed  of  their  dead  by  depositing  the  bodies 
in  the  branches  of  trees. 

Meade  City  was  succeeded  by  Jo-Ash,  located  about 
a  half-mile  to  the  west.  Jo-Ash  acquired  two  stores, 
a  postoffice,  and  was  a  regular  mail  route  on  a  regular 
stage  line.  After  two  or  three  years  it  passed  into 
memory. 

Red  Bluff  and  Carmen  were  once  postoffices.  Miles 
was  a  little  store  and  postoffice  conducted  for  many 
years  by  Captain  and  Mrs.  Busing,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Cimarron.  The  postoffice  of  Lakeland  was  in 
the  Painter  family  through  several  administrations,  and 
is  now  on  the  Hulburt  ranch,  Zada-Black  Hulburt, 
P.  M.,  while  S.  E.  Matthews,  the  founder,  still  conducts 
the  store  and  handles  the  mail  at  Uneda. 

m 


o 


OQ 


POLITICAL. 

While  the  political  complexion  of  Meade  County 
has  always  been  strong  Republican,  with  the  exception 
of  a  brief  period  of  time  during  the  days  of  Populism, 
in  local  affairs  the  people  have  generally  exercised  their 
best  judgment  and  voted  without  regard  to  party  lines, 
considering  the  general  fitness  of  the  candidate  as  of 
more  importance  than  his  party  affiliations.  As  a  re- 
sult there  has  never  been  a  time  when  all  of  the  county 
officers  were  of  the  same  political  faith,  and  the  public 
has  been  unusually  fortunate  in  securing  capable  officers. 
In  the  tables  which  follow,  the  name  appearing  first 
is  the  one  elected  to  the  designated  office,  and  the  names 
following  are  the  unsuccessful  candidates.  The  party 
affiliation  is  indicated  by  the  abbreviation  following 
each  name,  and  the  year  of  election  by  the  figures  pre- 
ceding each  list. 

1886. 
Representative M.  J.  O'Meara,  D. 

R.  M.  Painter,  R. 
Probate  Judge W.  D.  Hudson,  R. 

0.  J.  Loofbourrow,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court Fillmore  Hudson,  R. 

W.  H.  Willis,  D. 
County  Clerk W.  H.  Young,  R. 

Matt  B.  Peed,  D. 
Sheriff George  F.  Eckert,  R. 

Thomas  G.  McAuliffe,  D. 
Treasurer C.  S.  Rockey,  R. 

J.  W.  Taylor,  D. 

[44] 


POLITICAL.  45 


Register  of  Deeds C.  W.  Adams,  R. 

J.  W.  Jamison,  D. 
Superintendent N.  H.  Mendenhall,  R. 

N.  B.  Clark,  D. 
County  Attorney S.  R.  House,  R.* 

A.  F.  Hollenbeck,  D. 
Surveyor Moses  Black,  R. 

J.  A.  Dupree,  D. 
Coroner H.  Chaney,  R. 

E.  E.  Buchecker,  D. 
Commissioner  1st  District J.  H.  Randolph,  R. 

James  Vaughn,  D. 
Commissioner  2nd  District Chris.  Schmoker,  R. 

Ed.  McDaniel,  D. 
Commissioner  3rd  District E.  M.  Mears,  R. 

F.  J.  Beckwith,  D. 

1887. 
Sheriff.  .  .  George  F.  Eckert,  R. 

E.  B.  Summers,  D. 
Treasurer C.  S.  Rockey,  R. 

E.  T.  Hughes,  D.* 
Register  of  Deeds Jesse  Summers,  R. 

Wm.  McKim,  D. 
County  Clerk . .  L.  E.  Brown,  R. 

T.  C.  Bonham,  D. 
Surveyor K.  P.  Smith,  R. 

John  Werth,  D. 
Commissioner  1st  District J.  H.  Randolph,  R. 

D.  K.  Griffin,  D. 
Coroner I.  N.  Graves,  R. 

Benjamin  F.  Cox,  D. 

1888. 

Representative A.  H.  Heber,  R. 

Robert  E.  Steele,  D. 

H.  F.  Caldwell,  Union  Labor. 


*  In  September,  1888,  Mr.  House  resigned,  and  R.  W.  Griggs  was  appointed  to  fill  the  un- 
expired term. 


46  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Probate  Judge W.  D.  Hudson,  R. 

E.  T.  F.  Thompson,  D. 

C.  F.  Cahoon,  U.  L. 
Clerk  District  Court D.  B.  Stutsman,  D. 

E.  B.  Russell,  R. 

C.  T.  White,  U.  L. 
County  Attorney .  .  R.  W.  Griggs,  R. 

M.  L.  Brown,  D. 

J.  M.  Holcomb,  U.  L. 
Superintendent * • N.  H.  Mendenhall,  R. 

James  B.  High,  D. 

Mary  Dalgarn,  U.  L. 
Coroner William  Lake,  R. 

O.  J.  Loofbourrow,  D. 
Commissioner  2nd  District E.  D.  Smith,  R. 

D.  Barragree,  D. 
R.  P.  Cooper,  U.  L. 

1889. 
Surveyor John  G.  Fonda,  R. 

John  Werth,  D. 
County  Clerk L.  E.  Brown,  R. 

J.  R.  Graves,  D. 
Coroner. .    William  Lake,  R. 

Dennis  Callaghan,  D. 
Commissioner  3rd  District CM.  Piymell,  D.* 

John  H.  Ellis,  R. 

M.  H.  Howard. 

1890. 

Representative A.  H.  Heber,  Ind. 

S.  M.  Bennett,  Peo. 
James  Wilson,  R. 

*  C.  M.  Piymell  at  the  time  of  his  election  was  City  Clerk  of  the  city  of  West  Plains,  which 
office  he  continued  to  hold  after  he  had  qualified  as  County  Commissioner.  On  April  29th, 
1890,  L.  B.  Kellogg,  Attorney-General,  commenced  proceedings  in  quo  warranto  against  Piy- 
mell in  the  Supreme  Court.  The  opinion,  filed  in  May,  1891,  ousted  Piymell  from  the  office 
of  Commissioner,  for  the  reason  that  the  law  forbids  a  County  Commissioner  from  holding  any 
other  office.  The  other  two  members  of  the  Board,  with  the  County  Clerk,  elected  W.  F.  New- 
house  to  fill  the  vacancy,  Mr.  Newhouse  receiving  two  votes  and  E.  J.  Graves  one  vote. 


48  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Probate  Judge W.  D.  Hudson,  R. 

H.  F.  Caldwell,  Peo. 
County  Attorney Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  Peo. 

R.  W.  Griggs,  R. 
Clerk  District  Court D.  B.  Stutsman,  Peo. 

Minor  Weightman,  R. 
Superintendent. Mollie  Dalgarn,  Peo. 

Carrie  B.  Campbell,  R. 
Commissioner  1st  District William  Beaty,  Peo. 

Gamaliel  Rogers,  Peo. 
Coroner C.  P.  Fletcher,  R. 

1891. 
Treasurer Len  Follick,  R. 

R.  L.  Sawyer,  Peo. 
County  Clerk J.  F.  Armstrong,  R. 

U.  G.  Park,  Peo. 
Register  of  Deeds Moses  Black,  R. 

J.  E.  McCall,  Peo. 
Sheriff A.  J.  Byrns,  R. 

Geo.  B.  Allen,  Peo. 
Surveyor John  Werth,  Peo. 

J.  H.  Ellis,  R. 
Coroner C.  Button,  R. 

J.  M.  Riney,  Peo. 
Commissioner  2nd  District Frank  Lohr,  R. 

E.  P.  Boyle,  Peo. 
Commissioner  3rd  District H.  E.  Hayden,  Peo. 

J.  N.  Stamper,  R. 

1892. 

Representative James  Wilson,  Peo. 

R.  M.  Painter,  R. 
Probate  Judge Andrew  Graham,  R. 

D.  H.  Bryant,  Peo. 
Clerk  District  Court F.  W.  Fick,  R. 

N.  R.  Bishop,  Peo. 
Superintendent D.  P.  Wysong,  R. 

J.  A.  Porterfield,  Peo. 


POLITICAL.  49 


County  Attorney A.  T.  Bodle,  Jr.,  R. 

Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  Peo. 
Coroner A.  Kessler,  R.  (to  fill  vacancy). 

G.  W.  Umbarger,  Peo. 
Commissioner  3rd  District H.  E.  Hayden,  Peo. 

Rhees  Singley,  R. 

1893.* 

County  Clerk J.  F.  Armstrong,  R. 

J.  R.  Graves,  D. 
Register  of  Deeds Belle  M.  Peed,  D. 

B.  F.  Stivers,  R. 
Sheriff S.  D.  Adams,  D. 

Richard  Buis,  R. 
Treasurer Geo.  W.  Wiley,  R. 

J.  C.  McLean,  D. 

E.  J.  Graves,  Peo. 
Surveyor John  Werth,  D. 

J.  H.  Ellis,  R. 

Coroner A.  Kessler,  R. 

Commissioner  1st  District William  Beaty,  D. 

John  B.  Innis,  R. 

1894. 

Representative R.  M.  Painter,  R. 

S.  N.  Butts,  People's  Party. 

Clerk  District  Court F.  W.  Fick,  R. 

H.  G.  Marshall,  P.  P. 
Probate  Judge Andrew  Graham,  R. 

X.  B.  Sawyer,  P.  P. 
County  Attorney F.  M.  Davis,  P.  P. 

A.  T.  Bodle,  Jr.,  R. 

Superintendent Jennie  Kessler,  R. 

Commissioner  2nd  District B.  H.  Cordes,  P.  P. 

Benjamin  White,  R. 

♦There  were  three  tickets — Republican,  Democratic,  and  People's  Party.  The  same 
candidates  were  nominated  by  the  Democrats  and  the  People's  Party  in  1895,  and  the  same  in 
1894  except  that  the  People's  Party  had  a  different  candidate  for  County  Treasurer. 


50  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

1895.* 
Treasurer Geo.  W.  Wiley,  R. 

F.  G.  Hamilton,  D. 
County  Clerk E.  F.  Rieman,  R. 

J.  F.  Armstrong,  D. 
Register  of  Deeds Belle  M.  Peed,  D. 

Carrie  B.  Campbell,  R. 
Sheriff S.  D.  Adams,  D. 

Geo.  W.  Potter,  R. 
Surveyor John  Werth,  R. 

Oliver  Norman,  D. 

Coroner C.  Button,  D. 

Commissioner  3rd  District H.  E.  Hayden,  D. 

E.  N.  Sharp,  R. 

1896.* 
Representative John  Wehrle,  D. 

R.  M.  Painter,  R. 
Probate  Judge Andrew  Graham,  R. 

X.  B.  Sawyer,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court Erne  Coon,  R. 

Etna  Dalgarn,  D. 
County  Attorney A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  R. 

Geo.  B.  Allen,  D. 

Superintendent Jennie  Kessler,  R. 

Commissioner  1st  District John  B.  Innis,  R. 

Jacob  Heape,  D. 

1897.* 
County  Clerk E.  F.  Rieman,  R. 

S.  D.  Adams,  D. 
Treasurer Geo.  B.  Cones,  R. 

D.  B.  Stutsman,  D. 
Sheriff F.  C.  Judd,  D. 

A.  J.  Byrns,  R. 
Register  of  Deeds Nettie  Bonham,  R. 

Belle  M.  Peed,  D. 

*  There  were  three  tickets  in  the  field — -Republican,  Democratic,  and  Populist,  but  the 
nominees  of  the  Democratic  and  Populist  Parties  were  the  same. 


- 


52  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Surveyor Moses  Black,  R. 

Oliver  Norman,  D. 
Coroner Ed.  Otto,  R. 

Theodore  Wolfley,  D. 
Commissioner  2nd  District John  F.  Conrad,  D. 

R.  W.  Campbell,  R. 

1898.* 
Representative Geo.  W.  Wiley,  R. 

John  Wehrle,  D. 
Probate  Judge David  Truaz,  R. 

T.  B.  Petefish,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court Effie  Coon,  R. 

Lottie  Snyder,  D. 
County  Attorney A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  R. 

Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  D. 
Superintendent J.  A.  Porterfield,  R. 

James  T.  Walter,  D. 
Commissioner  3rd  District H.  E.  Hayden,  D. 

B.  F.  Bisbee,  R. 

1899.* 
Treasurer Moses  Black,  R. 

James  Wilson,  D. 
County  Clerk Frank  Wehrle,  D. 

N.  B.  Peck,  R. 
Sheriff F.  C.  Judd,  D. 

A.  J.  Byrns,  R. 
Register  of  Deeds Winnie  Bonham,  R. 

Ormond  Hamilton,  D. 
Coroner Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 

Claus  Borger,  R. 
Surveyor John  H.  Ellis,  R. 

Oliver  Norman,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D.f 

John  O.  Keith,  R. 

*  In  1899  there  were  three  tickets — -Republican,  Democratic,  and  Populist,  but  the  nomi- 
nees of  the  last  two  were  identical. 

t  In  August,  1899,  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court,  Effie  Coon,  resigned,  and  John  O.  Keith 
was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  until  the  next  general  election.  In  this  election  he  was  de- 
feated by  John  Elliott,  who  was  inducted  into  office  on  Nov.  14th,  1899,  thus  completing  by 
more  than  one  year  the  term  for  which  Effie  Coon  had  been  elected  in  1898. 


POLITICAL.  53 


Commissioner  1st  District John  B.  Innis,  R. 

J.  R.  Keith,  Pop. 
1900.* 
Representative S.  D.  Adams,  D. 

A.  O.  Edmunds,  R. 
Probate  Judge E.  W.  Jenkins,  R. 

W.  J.  Woodard,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

F.  Sourbeer,  R. 
Superintendent Maggie  Martin,  D. 

J.  A.  Porterfield,  R. 
Commissioner  2nd  District John  F.  Conrad,  D. 

W.  C.  Schmoker,  R. 
County  Attorney Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  D. 

F.  M.  Davis,  R. 

1901. f 

Commissioner  3rd  District H.  E.  Hayden. 

Albert  Hemple. 

1902. 
Representative R.  B.  Campbell,  R. 

S.  D.  Adams,  D. 
County  Attorney Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  D. 

A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  R. 

Treasurer Moses  Black,  R. 

County  Clerk D.  P.  Wysong,  R.J 

Frank  Wehrle,  D. 

*  In  1900  there  were  three  tickets — Republican,  Democratic,  and  People's  Party,  the  last 
two  having  the  same  nominees. 

t  The  canvassing  board  found  that  the  candidates  for  County  Commissioner  had  each  re- 
ceived 43  votes.  Straws  were  drawn  to  decide  the  tie.  Mr.  Hayden,  having  drawn  th«  long 
straw,  was  declared  the  winner.  Thereafter  Mr.  Hemple  instituted  a  contest.  He  was  rep- 
resented by  attorneys  A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  R.  W.  Griggs,  R.  M.  Painter,  F.  M.  Davis,  and  E.  D. 
Smith.  Attorneys  for  Mr.  Hayden  were  A.  B.  Reeves,  A.  T.  Bodle,  Jr.,  Geo.  S.  Selvidge,  and 
Geo.  B.  Allen.  The  contest  was  heard  by  E.  W.  Jenkins,  Probate  Judge,  with  Darius  Skinner 
and  R.  W.  Campbell  as  associate  judges.  The  contest  board  decided  in  favor  of  the  con- 
testee,  Mr.  Hayden,  and  assessed  the  costs,  taxed  at  $185,  against  Mr.  Hemple. 

%  Mr.  Wehrle  contested  the  election,  alleging  that  the  election  boards  had  rejected  numer- 
ous legal  ballots,  which,  if  counted,  would  have  resulted  in  the  election  of  Mr.  Wehrle.  The 
principal  point  of  contention  was  as  follows:  The  Democrats  had  failed  to  make  nominations 
for  some  of  the  offices,  and  where  this  occurred  there  was  printed  in  the. space  intended  for  the 
candidate's  name  the  words,  "No  Nomination,"  followed  by  a  voting  square.  Many  who 
voted  for  Mr.  Wehrle  also  placed  a  cross  in  the  square  opposite  the  "No  Nomination."  This 
was  held  to  vitiate  the  whole  ballot,  and  it  was  accordingly  thrown  out.  Mr.  Wehrle  con- 
tended that  these  ballots  were  legal,  and  should  have  been  counted.  Mr.  Wehrle  was  rep- 
resented by  attorneys  F.  C.  Price,  A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  and  A.  T.  Bodle,  Jr. ;  Mr.  Wysong  by  at- 
torneys R.  W.  Griggs,  F.  M.  Davis,  E.  D.  Smith,  S.  S.  Ashbaugh,  and  R.  M.  Painter.  The 
case  was  heard  by  E.  W.  Jenkins,  Probate  Judge,  R.  A.  Harper  and  John  W.  Ellis,  associate 
judges,  and  F.  G.  Hamilton,  clerk.  The  contest  board  sustained  the  election  boards,  declared 
Mr.  Wysong  elected,  and  taxed  the  costs,  $130.64,  against  Mr.  Wehrle. 


54  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Probate  Judge E.  W.  Jenkins,  R. 

Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

J.  I.  Stamper,  R. 
Sheriff Samuel  B.  Givler,  R. 

Samuel  P.  Bunch,  D. 
Register  of  Deeds Winnie  Bonham,  R. 

John  W.  Russell,  D. 
Superintendent Maggie  Martin,  D. 

Bertha  Campbell,  R. 

Surveyor J.  H.  Ellis,  R. 

Coroner C.  B.  Leslie,  R. 

Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 
Commissioner  1st  District T.  V.  Pinnick,  R. 

J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

1904. 

Representative .  .Geo.  B.  Cones,  R. 

H.  E.  Hayden,  D. 
County  Attorney Frank  S.  Sullivan,  D. 

J.  R,  Griggs,  R. 

Treasurer Ormond  Hamilton,  D. 

County  Clerk D.  P.  Wysong,  R. 

Frank  Wehrle,  D. 
Probate  Judge A.  T.  Bodle,  Sr.,  R. 

William  Jobling,  D. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

E.  0.  Palmer,  R. 
Sheriff Samuel  B.  Givler,  R. 

Sam  Conger,  D. 
Register  of  Deeds Florence  Smith,  R. 

Charles  E.  Tally,  D. 
Superintendent Ruth  Bennett,  D. 

Frilla  DeCow,  R. 
Surveyor J.  M.  Robinson,  D. 

J.  H.  Ellis,  R. 
Coroner Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 

C.  B.  Leslie,  R. 


56  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Commissioner  2nd  District John  F.  Conrad,  D. 

Geo.  M.  Edwards,  R. 
Commissioner  3rd  District J.  W.  King,  D. 

B.  H.  Cordes,  R. 

1906. 
Representative S.  D.  Adams,  D. 

Geo.  B.  Cones,  R. 
County  Attorney Frank  S.  Sullivan,  D. 

F.  P.  Marshall,  R. 
Treasurer Ormond  Hamilton,  D. 

Edward  Desmarias,  R. 
County  Clerk W.  W.  Pressly,  R. 

W.  H.  Dalgarn,  D. 
Probate  Judge J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

S.  O.  Ball,  R. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

Ira  Scott,  R. 
Sheriff J.  S.  Price,  D. 

J.  F.  Pinnick,  R. 
Register  of  Deeds Florence  Smith,  R. 

Charles  E.  Tally,  D. 
Superintendent Ruth  Bennett,  D. 

E.  B.  Reay,  R. 

Surveyor Moses  Black,  R. 

Coroner Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 

Geo.  A.  Nickelson,  R. 
Commissioner  1st  District William  Jobling,  D. 

T.  V.  Pinnick,  R. 

1908. 
Representative J.  E.  McNair,  R. 

S.  D.  Adams,  D. 
County  Attorney D.  P.  Wysong,  R. 

Geo.  B.  Allen,  D. 
Treasurer Moses  Black,  R. 

J.  C.  Hall,  D. 
County  Clerk W.  W.  Pressly,  R. 

W.  J.  Woodard,  D. 


POLITICAL.  57 


Probate  Judge .  J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

J.  H.  Ellis,  R. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D.* 

Frank  Ellis,  R. 
Sheriff J.  S.  Price,  D. 

A.  J.  Byrns,  R. 
Register  of  Deeds W.  T.  Gray,  R. 

C.  H.  Burford,  D. 
Superintendent Mattie  Haigh,  R. 

Lou  McCrellis,  D. 
Surveyor N.  C.  Galway,  R. 

G.  W.  Dalgarn,  D. 
Coroner E.  W.  Fletcher,  R. 

Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 
Commissioner  2nd  District James  Wilson,  R. 

F.  I.  Bennett,  D. 
Commissioner  3rd  District F.  M.  Paul,  Sr.,  R. 

T.  B.  Novinger,  D. 

1910. 

Representative Geo.  B.  Cones,  R. 

H.  Llewellyn  Jones,  D. 
County  Attorney Frank  S.  Sullivan,  D. 

D.  P.  Wysong,  R. 
Treasurer John  F.  Sweet,  R. 

H.  Albertson,  D. 

County  Clerk W.  W.  Pressly,  R. 

Probate  Judge J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

M.  S.  Gillidett,  R. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

John  O.  Keith,  R. 
Sheriff Thos.  Martin,  D. 

E.  W.  White,  R. 

Register  of  Deeds W.  T.  Gray,  R. 

Superintendent Mattie  J.  Haigh,  R. 

Jessie  M.  Chase,  D. 

*  In  this  election  the  two  candidates  for  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  each  received  the  same 
number  of  votes.  The  tie  was  decided  by  lot.  At  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Ellis  six  straws,  three 
long  and  three  short,  were  placed  in  a  book,  the  ends  projecting,  and  the  candidates  drew 
alternately.     Mr.  Elliott  drew  two  long  straws  and  was  declared  elected. 


58  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Surveyor N.  C.  Galway,  R. 

George  Hockaden,  D. 

Coroner E.  A.  Twist,  Ind. 

Commissioner  1st  District A.  B.  Roberts,  R. 

Wm.  Jobling,  D. 

1912. 
Representative E.  L.  Watt,  R. 

H.  J.  Sloss,  R. 

Isaac  Covalt,  So. 

County  Attorney Frank  S.  Sullivan,  D. 

Treasurer J.  F.  Sweet,  R. 

J.  D.  Dalgarn,  So. 
Probate  Judge J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

A.  J.  Paden,  R. 

Newton  Snyder,  So. 
County  Clerk W.  W.  Pressly,  R. 

J.  D.  Golliher,  So. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

John  Lusk,  Jr.,  So. 
Sheriff Thos.  Martin,  D. 

J.  A.  Spencer,  R. 

R.  J.  Walk,  So. 

Register  of  Deeds W.  T.  Gray,  R. 

Superintendent Pearl  Wood-Smith,  D. 

Frank  Carlson,  R. 

Surveyor Moses  Black,  R. 

Coroner Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 

G.  A.  Nickelson,  So. 
Commissioner  2nd  District John  Cordes,  D. 

H.  N.  Holderman,  R. 
Commissioner  3rd  District T.  B.  Novinger  D. 

S.  T.  Frederick^  R. 

1914. 

Representative H.  Llewellyn'Jones,  D. 

Geo.  W.  Day,  R. 

C.  B.  Leslie,  Progressive. 


60  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


County  Attorney Frank  S.  Sullivan,  D. 

F.  M.  Davis,  R. 

E.  D.  Smith,  Prog. 
Treasurer R.  W.  Campbell,  R. 

Frank  Wehrle,  D. 
C.  M.  Gates,  Prog. 
County  Clerk W.  W.  Pressly,  R. 

F.  W.  Calvert,  Prog. 
Probate  Judge C.  A.  Marrs,  R. 

J.  H.  Randolph,  D. 

Blanche  Love,  Prog. 
Clerk  District  Court John  Elliott,  D. 

Erne  Sandusky,  R. 
Sheriff L.  G.  Krisle,  D. 

Frank  Ellis,  R. 

H.  E.  Hoon,  Prog. 
Register  of  Deeds Ira  Scott,  R. 

W.  H.  Dalgarn,  D. 

Jennie  Crocker,  Progressive. 

Superintendent Pearl  Wood-Smith,  D. 

Surveyor Moses  Black,  R. 

Chas.  Havens,  Prog. 
Coroner Wm.  F.  Fee,  D. 

E.  W.  Fletcher,  Prog. 
Commissioner  1st  District A.  B.  Roberts,  R. 

John  Staples,  D. 

Charles  Haskins,  Prog. 


BANKS. 

Meade  County  has  not  been  lacking  in  financial  in- 
stitutions. The  first  bank  to  incorporate  was  the 
Meade  County  Savings  Bank,  incorporated  July  30th, 
1885  ;  Isaac  N.  Graves,  R.  R.  Wells,  H.  H.  Rogers,  C. 
W.  Adams,  A.  H.  Heber,  E.  F.  Seeberger,  E.  L.  Mead, 
and  L.  E.  Steele,  Directors.  This  bank,  however, 
never  opened  for  business. 

The  first  bank  to  do  business  in  Meade  County  was 
The  Meade  Deposit  Bank,  a  private  bank,  which  com- 
menced business  in  Meade  Center  in  the  fall  of  1885  : 
M.  J.  O'Meara,  President;  B.  F.  Cox,  Vice-President; 
M.  H.  Ewart,  Cashier.  About  a  year  later  it  national- 
ized, and  became  The  First  National  Bank  of  Meade 
Center.  It  operated  as  a  national  bank  for  a  couple 
of  years,  when  it  went  into  involuntary  liquidation, 
with  John  C.  Fry  as  receiver. 

The  Meade  County  Bank,  Meade  Center,  was  incor- 
porated Feb.  26th,  1886,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $50,000. 
Directors,  A.  H.  Heber,  M.  Wightman,  Ed.  Dool,  C. 
S.  Rockey,  and  Chas.  P.  Woodbury.  It  afterwards 
nationalized  under  the  name  of  The  Meade  County 
National  Bank,  but  in  1890  it  again  became  a  State 
bank  under  its  original  name  and  with  its  original  cap- 
ital stock;  A.  H.  Heber,  Geo.  L.  Stevens,  E.  F.  Rie- 
man,  E.  T.  Brawley,  and  Chas.  P.  Woodbury,  Direct- 
ors. Soon  afterwards  it  liquidated  and  went  out  of 
business,  Geo.  B.  Cones  winding  up  its  affairs  as 
trustee. 

[61] 


62  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


The  Farmers  and  Stockgrowers  Bank  was  incorpo- 
rated Nov.  20th,  1886,  capital  stock  $50,000,  and  opened 
for  business  at  Meade  Center,  with  the  following  Di- 
rectors :  Isaac  N.  Graves,  Samuel  Williams,  Lewis  K. 
McGuffin,  Oscar  B.  Hamilton,  and  Ormond  Hamilton. 
This  bank  was  reincorporated  August  31st,  1891,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $5,000,  and  with  Ormond  Hamilton, 
F.  G.  Hamilton,  M.  P.  Hamilton,  J.  W.  Hamilton  and 
M.  H.  Tripod  as  Directors.  At  this  time  the  mercury 
in  the  thermometer  of  business  had  reached  to  almost 
zero,  and  it  continued  to  descend  for  some  years.  This 
bank  was  conservatively  managed,  but  under  the  ad- 
verse conditions  existing  at  that  time  success  was  un- 
attainable, and  the  bank  became  insolvent.  In  1896 
Louis  Boehler  was  appointed  receiver,  and  remained 
in  charge  of  the  assets  until  the  affairs  were  settled, 
and  he  was  finally  discharged  in  1902.  And  it  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  receiver  and  of  the  officers  and  stock- 
holders of  the  bank,  that  after  paying  the  expense  of 
the  receivership  and  the  preferred  claims,  the  general 
creditors  realized  more  than  seventy-eight  cents  on  the 
dollar,  a  much  higher  rate  than  is  usually  paid  by  an 
insolvent. 

The  Citizens  State  Bank,  Meade  Center,  was  in- 
corporated Aug.  5th,  1887,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,- 
000 ;  George  C.  Strong,  E.  G.  Robertson,  C.  W.  Adams, 
W.  H.  Young,  Wm.  K.  Palmer,  Coleman  Rogers,  and 
A.  J.  McCabe,  Directors.  This  bank  was  reorganized 
Jan.  11th,  1889,  under  the  name  of  The  Citizens  Bank 
of  Meade  Center ;  capital  stock,  $50,000.  Directors, 
E.  G.  Robertson,  Coleman  Rogers,  Arthur  J.  McCabe, 
C.  W.  Adams,  and  C.  E.  Cones.  It  soon  thereafter 
liquidated. 


64  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


The  Bank  of  West  Plains,  West  Plains,  was  incorpo- 
rated Jan.  11th,  1888;  capital  stock,  $50,000.  Direct- 
ors, B.  B.  Brown,  W.  C.  Gould,  C.  Gould,  H.  B.  Stone, 
and  R.  F.  Crawford.  This  bank  continued  to  do  busi- 
ness until  the  general  conditions  of  the  country  warned 
the  Directors  that  a  continuation  would  mean  failure, 
when  they  closed  their  doors,  paid  depositors  and 
creditors  in  full,  and  quit  business.  The  officers, 
Brown,  Gould  and  Stone,  went  to  Colorado  and  en- 
gaged in  the  banking  business  at  Lamar. 

A  private  bank  was  also  organized  at  Fowler,  in  the 
late  80's,  of  which  Wm.  Beaty  was  president,  B.  F. 
Cox,  Vice-President,  O.  S.  Hurd,  Cashier ;  capital 
stock,  $5,000.  It  paid  out  in  full  and  quit  business  in 
1890. 

Of  the  banks  at  present  doing  business  in  Meade 
County,  The  Meade  State  Bank  was  incorporated 
Aug.  22nd,  1899.  Directors,  C.  Q.  Chandler,  W.  S. 
Berryman,  J.  W.  Berryman,  N.  A.  Berryman,  and  Emily 
Berryman.  Its  capital  stock  was  $5,000,  which  was 
increased  to  $10,000  in  1900.  In  1903  this  bank  was 
reorganized,  under  the  same  charter,  with  R.  A.  Harper, 
President,  B.  F.  Cox,  Vice-President,  Louis  Boehler, 
Cashier.  In  1909  the  capital  stock  was  again  increased, 
this  time  to  $30,000.  It  now  has  a  surplus,  in  round 
numbers,  of  $13,000,  and  deposits  of  $200,000.  Its 
depositors  are  protected  by  the  Bank  Depositors'  Guar- 
anty Fund  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Meade  opened  for  busi- 
ness on  May  2nd,  1904,  with  the  following  officers : 
President,  J.  B.  Buck ;  Vice-President,  Geo.  S.  Sel- 
vidge  ;   Cashier,  F.  W.  Curl.     The  Directors,  in  addition 


BANK3.  65 


to  the  President  and  Vice-President,  were :  E.  A. 
Twist,  Linn  Frazier,  B.  F.  Leach,  J.  R.  Graves,  and  Geo. 
B.  Cones.  The  present  officers  are :  W.  F.  Casteen, 
President ;  J.  F.  Conrad,  Vice-President ;  F.  W.  Curl, 
Cashier.  Its  capital  stock  is  $25,000,  and  its  surplus 
and  deposits,  in  round  numbers,  are  respectively  $25,- 
000  and  $180,000.  Its  depositors  are  protected  by 
bond  in  The  Deposit  Guaranty  and  Surety  Co. 

The  Fowler  State  Bank,  Fowler,  was  incorporated 
April  3rd,  1906,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000,  and 
with  the  following  Directors  :  R.  A.  Harper,  J.  C.  Hall, 
Leo  P.  McMeel,  Louis  Boehler,  W.  P.  Bunyan,  and  F. 
D.  Morrison.  Its  present  officers  are :  R.  A.  Harper, 
President ;  T.  V.  Pinnick,  Vice-President ;  F.  D. 
Morrison,  Cashier ;  John  F.  Sweet,  Assistant  Cashier. 
Its  present  capital  stock,  surplus  and  deposits  are, 
respectively,  $25,000,  $12,500,  and  $100,000.  It  is 
under  the  protection  of  the  Bank  Depositors'  Guar- 
anty Fund. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Fowler  commenced 
business  Jan.  3rd,  1910,  with  the  following  officers : 
President,  John  F.  Conrad ;  Vice-President,  J.  C. 
Hall ;  Cashier,  D.  B.  Mitchell ;  Directors,  John  F. 
Conrad,  J.  C.  Hall,  Linn  Frazier,  John  Boucher,  and 
J.  M.  Dowell.  Its  present  officers  are :  Linn  Frazier, 
President ;  J.  C.  Hall,  Vice-President ;  Geo.  D.  Hall, 
Cashier.  Its  capital  stock,  surplus  and  deposits  are, 
respectively,  $25,000,  $15,000,  and  $115,000.  Its  de- 
positors are  protected  by  surety  bond. 

The  Plains  State  Bank,  Plains,  was  incorporated 
July  7th,  1906,  with  the  following  Directors :  J.  A. 
Collingwood,  D.  A.  Collingwood,  Joe  G.  Collingwood, 


66  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

S.  G.  Demoret,  Ella  Demoret,  and  J.  H.  Collingwood, 
the  last  named  of  whom  has  been  Cashier  since  the 
bank's  organization.  Its  present  capital  stock  and 
surplus  are  $35,000 ;    its  deposits  are  $150,000. 

The  American  Mortgage  Trust  Company  was  char- 
tered August  15th,  1887,  with  an  authorized  capital 
stock  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Its  purposes 
were  to  negotiate  loans  on  farm  and  city  property,  to 
purchase  securities,  and  to  own  and  sell  real  estate. 
The  Directors  were :  A.  H.  Heber,  Willis  G.  Emerson, 
L.  S.  Sears,  L.  W.  Brown,  Edward  Dool,  R.  P.  Brown, 
Geo.  L.  Stevens,  D.  W.  Higbee,  and  L.  D.  Rogers,— 
all  of  whom  were  residents  of  Meade  County,  save 
the  last  three.  This  company  flourished  for  a  time, 
but  finally  became  involved.  Geo.  S.  Selvidge  was  ap- 
pointed receiver,  and  at  a  receiver's  sale  in  1899  R.  W. 
Griggs  purchased  the  entire  assets  of  the  corporation 
for  three  hundred  dollars. 


ARTESIAN    WELL    ON    THE    B.   F.    LEACH    FARM, 


NEWSPAPERS. 

Meade  County  is  the  rock  that  has  wrecked  the 
hopes  and  shattered  the  dreams  of  many  newspaper- 
men. In  the  early  days  almost  every  boom  town 
"sported"  but  did  not  "support"  a  newspaper.  The 
result  was  that  these  papers  were  published  with  more 
or  less  regularity  as  long  as  the  editor  could  get  credit 
for  white  paper  and  printer's  ink,  and  then  died  a 
natural  death.  I  use  the  expression  "natural  death" 
advisedly,  because  it  is  but  natural  that  these  early- 
day  newspapers,  under  the  economic  conditions  that 
then  existed,  should  come  to  an  untimely  end. 

The  first  paper  published  in  Meade  County  was  The 
Pearlette  Call,  by  Bennett  &  Lowery,  the  first  edition 
appearing  April  15th,  1879,  and  the  last  bearing  date 
May  8th,  1880. 

In  May,  1885,  C.  K.  Sourbeer  issued  the  first  num- 
ber of  The  Spring  Lake  Hornet,  which  continued  to  ap- 
pear monthly  until  the  summer  of  1889. 

In  June,  1885,  E.  E.  Henley  commenced  publishing 
The  Fowler  Graphic,  and  continued  until  1891. 

The  Carthage  Times  was  published  from  June,  1885, 
to  January,  1886. 

In  July,  1885,  Cannon  Bros,  issued  the  first  number 
of  The  Meade  Center  Press.  In  December  of  the  same 
year  this  paper  was  sold  to  Mechler  Bros.,  and  the  name 
changed  to  The  Press  Democrat.  In  March,  1886, 
Mechler  Bros,  sold  to  H.  Wiltz  Brown,  and  in  1890 
Brown  unloaded  on  Sam  Lawrence,  who  published  the 


NEWSPAPERS.  69 


paper  under  the  name  of  The  Meade  Democrat  until 
1894,  when  he  sold  to  C.  G.  Allen,  and  publication  was 
suspended  in  1895. 

In  the  spring  of  1887  T.  J.  Palmer  (referred  to  af- 
fectionately by  his  friends  and  derisively  by  his  ene- 
mies, as  " Toe-jam")  issued  The  Meade  Republican, 
which  existed  until  1894. 

In  the  summer  of  1887  H.  L.  Bishop  published  The 
Mertilla  Times,  but  the  times  were  too  hard  and  this 
paper  lived  but  a  few  months. 

In  1887  Lon  Whorton  issued  the  first  number  of 
The  Meade  Center  Telegram,  and  the  last  number  was 
issued  the  following  year. 

The  West  Plains  Guardian  was  published  from  1887 
to  1889. 

The  Fowler  Advocate  was  published  for  about  a  year, 
commencing  in  1887. 

The  Meade  County  Globe  was  established  in  July,  1885, 
by  J.  Malcolm  Johnson.  In  August,  1886,  this  paper 
was  purchased  by  Frank  Fuhr,  and  by  him  published 
for  twenty-seven  years.  Mr.  Fuhr  witnessed  the  rise 
and  fall  of  practically  all  of  the  newspaper  ventures, 
and  it  is  chiefly  from  him  that  the  information  in  this 
chapter  is  obtained.  In  November,  1913,  Mr.  Fuhr 
sold  the  Globe  to  W.  S.  Martin,  who  has  since  been  its 
publisher. 

In  1900  John  Wehrle  established  The  Meade  County 
News,  and  continued  to  publish  it  until'  in  1909,  when 
it  was  sold  to  The  Meade  Publishing  Company,  a  cor- 
poration organized  by  the  business  men  of  Meade. 
John  Innis  was  placed  in  charge  as  business  manager 
ard  E.  D.  Smith  as  editor.     After  a  few  months  Smith 


70  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  John  Miller,  who  edited 
the  News  for  about  a  year.  Miller  was  succeeded  as 
editor  by  Agnes  Wehrle,  who  conducted  the  paper  a 
while  for  the  corporation,  and  in  July,  1912,  Miss 
Wehrle  purchased  the  plant,  and  the  corporation  went 
out  of  existence. 

In  1906  I.  J.  Stanton  established  The  Fowler  Gazette, 
and  published  it  until  1914,  when  he  sold  out  to  W.  R. 
Bond,  who,  after  a  brief  experience,  sold  to  Perry  Bros., 
who  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  The  Fowler  News. 

Maurice  McDonald  established  The  Plains  Journal 
in  1907.  After  about  a  year  he  sold  to  E.  B.  McCon- 
nell.  Mr.  McConnell  published  it  for  three  or  four 
years  and  then  sold  to  F.  W.  Calvert,  the  present  owner 
and  editor. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  newspapers  there  is  pub- 
lished during  the  school  year  The  Tattler,  published  by 
the  Meade  High  School  students,  and  The  High  School 
Life,  published  by  students  of  the  Fowler  High  School. 

It  is  not  recorded  that  the  publisher  of  any  Meade 
County  newspaper  acquired  great  wealth  by  his  enter- 
prise. But  that  is  neither  a  reflection  on,  nor  a  criti- 
cism of,  Meade  County.  For  the  most  part  these 
papers  were  established  in  the  early  days,  the  "boom" 
days,  the  promising  days,  and  the  newspaperman,  like 
the  merchant,  the  banker  and  others,  simply  followed 
the  light  that  failed. 


SOME    WELL. 


CHURCHES. 

The  history  of  civilization  shows  that  the  missionary 
followed  closely  the  discoverer,  and  so  we  find  the  early 
settlers  of  Meade  County  active  in  the  organization  of 
religious  societies,  long  before  the  organization  of  the 
county. 

The  first  organized  church  in  the  county  was  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Crooked  Creek,  or- 
ganized in  1879.  On  October  1st,  1879,  Geo.  S.  Emer- 
son deeded  to  Silas  E.  Ayres,  W.  D.  Ayers  and  H.  M. 
Fordes,  Trustees  of  said  church,  a  plot  of  ground  in 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Sec- 
tion 6,  Township  30,  Range  26,  described  in  the  deed 
as  follows:  "After  allowing  for  the  road  on  section 
line  and  extension  four  hundred  feet,  and  three  and  a 
half  feet  east  and  west,  and  two  hundred  and  sixteen 
and  one  quarter  feet  north  and  south." 

A  church  building  was  erected  on  this  grant  ard  a 
cemetery  provided  for,  which  cemetery  still  marks  the 
spot.  Rev.  Mr.  Feemster  was  the  first  pastor.  This 
church  was  regularly  organized,  but  was  not  incorpo- 
rated. 

The  first  incorporated  church  was  Pleasant  Prairie 
Congregational  Church,  incorporated  March  18th, 
1881,  more  than  four  years  prior  to  the  organization  of 
the  county,  with  John  Schmoker,  Peter  Blair  and  Chris- 
tian Schmoker  as  trustees.  Services  were  held  at  the 
old  Belle  Meade  schoolhouse. 

Next  to  incorporate  was  the  Meade  Center  Metho- 

[72] 


CHURCHES.  73 


dist  Episcopal  Church,  incorporated  March  26th,  1886, 
with  George  W.  Evington,  Samuel  D.  Huffman,  David 
Truax,  Sam  Lawrence  and  Geo.  Wallace  as  trustees. 
This  church  was  organized  by  Rev.  J.  N.  Stamper, 
who  was  its  first  minister,  and,  it  is  said,  preached  the 
first  sermon  in  Meade. 

Closely  following  this  was  the  First  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  of  Fowler  City,  incorporated  June  18th, 
1886,  with  James  B.  Brewer,  George  Fowler,  Smith 
S.  Pine,  Alfred  V.  Carpenter  and  Alexander  A.  Major 
as  trustees. 

Then  came  the  Church  of  Christ  of  Meade  Center, 
incorporated  Aug.  9th,  1886,  with  F.  P.  Scott,  A.  D. 
McDaniel,  A.  J.  Davis,  M.  B.  Peede  and  C.  G.  Allen 
as  trustees.  This  church  prospered  for  a  time,  but 
later  languished,  and  the  church  building  was  after- 
wards secured  and  used  by  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
organized  in  1899. 

Next  was  the  First  United  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Meade  Center,  incorporated  Jan.  14th,  1887,  with  H. 
I.  Stevens,  Edward  Tring,  E.  D.  Smith,  M.  E.  Huston 
and  M.  W.  Milligen  as  trustees.  As  an  organization 
this  church  never  obtained  a  permanent  foothold,  and 
most  of  its  members  united  with  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Meade  Center,  which  was  incorporated  Jan. 
22nd,  1887,  with  Edward  Dool,  Edward  P.  Boyle  and 
James  A.  Lynn  as  trustees. 

On  Feb.  22nd,  1887,  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  West  Plains  was  incorporated,  with  Benj. 
P.  Bruce,  Fred  Baddeley,  Thos.  Beaty,  Harry  B.  Stone 
and  Ernest  Russell  as  trustees.  This  church  main- 
tained its  organization  until  the  city  of  West  Plains 
was  practically  depopulated,  when  it  lapsed. 


74  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

The  Crooked  Creek  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  incorporated  Oct.  6th,  1887,  with  J.  W.  Brock, 
Wm.  J.  Brown  and  John  L.  Smith  as  trustees. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Meade  was  incorpo- 
rated Aug.  24th,  1899,  with  William  T.  Dick,  Mrs.  M. 
A.  Williams,  X.  B.  Sawyer,  A.  V.  Angel  and  H.  G. 
Yocum  as  trustees.  The  first  pastor  of  this  church 
was  Rev.  J.  M.  Robinson. 

Then  came  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Plains,  in- 
corporated Jan.  22nd,  1904,  with  Luellen  Edwards, 
A.  J.  Parsons,  J.  W.  King,  G.  W.  Gillidett  and  J.  B. 
Sullivan  as  trustees.  Coincident  with  the  organization 
of  this  church  a  building  was  erected  by  popular  sub- 
scription, which  building,  while  being  primarily  under 
the  control  of  the  Baptist  Church,  was  to  be  opened 
freely  to  any  other  denomination  desiring  to  use  it. 

April  7th,  1904,  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  St.  Johan- 
nes Congregation  or  Society,  Odee  Township,  was  in- 
corporated, with  Henry  Borchers,  Henry  Winter  and 
Henry  Eckhoff  as  trustees. 

The  Free  Methodist  Church  of  Mertilla  was  incorpo- 
rated May  20th,  1908,  with  C.  F.  Bowyer,  George  W. 
Branstetter,  J.  S.  Cornish,  P.  L.  Triplett  and  Al- 
bertus  Fry  as  trustees. 

This  was  followed  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Plains,  incorporated  Aug.  19th,  1910 ;  A. 
S.  Prather,  A.  L.  Driver,  O.  D.  Overton,  N.  A.  Geisinger 
and  H.  M.  Wooten,  trustees. 

Next  was  the  First  Christian  Church  of  Fowler,  in- 
corporated Jan.  5th,  1911  ;  J.  G.  Clark,  J.  L.  Runyan, 
W.  E.  Carr,  John  W.  Sims  and  George  Lasater,  trustees. 

After  this  was  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Fowler, 


o 


ANOTHER    GUSHER. 


76  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

incorporated  June  21st,  1911  ;  William  T.  Dick,  Charles 
VanDoren  and  John  Foster,  trustees. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Uneda  came 
last,  incorporated  March  24th,  1913  ;  Geo.  P.  Gamble, 
H.  H.  Ford,  J.  W.  Steele,  O.  J.  Easton  and  P.  J.  Mitch- 
ell, trustees. 

In  addition  to  these  churches  there  were,  first  and 
last,  many  others  maintaining  organizations  that  were 
not  incorporated  under  the  State  laws,  some  of  which 
are  still  active.  Among  the  latter  are  the  Roman 
Catholic  Churches  at  Fowler,  Plains,  and  Meade,  the 
last  named  of  which  is  among  the  oldest  churches  in 
the  county.  In  October,  1888,  this  church  purchased 
about  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  ground  lying  just  north 
of  Block  25,  First  Addition,  and  erected  a  building 
thereon,  which  was  used  until  a  few  years  ago,  when, 
it  being  considered  no  longer  fit,  it  was  razed,  and  the 
present  church  built. 

Then  there  is  St.  Augustine  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  of  Meade,  built  in  1911,  and  the  Christian 
Church,  organized  in  February,  1916;  the  Friends, 
who  have  just  completed  in  Fowler  the  most  modern 
and  beautiful  church  building  in  the  county.  The 
Mormons  have  an  organization  in  the  country  south 
of  Missler,  and  the  Mennonite  Church  in  what  is 
known  as  "the  Colony,"  south  and  east  of  Meade. 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

The  public  schools  of  Meade  County  compare  most 
favorably  with  those  of  other  counties  of  the  State. 
The  county  is  divided  into  44  school  districts,  having 
a  school  population  of  1,738,  and  employing  72  teachers. 

Both  Meade  and  Fowler  maintain  well-equipped 
accredited  high  schools,  the  former  employing  14  in- 
structors and  the  latter  12.     Plains  employs  5  teachers. 

Of  the  teachers  employed  in  the  public  schools,  24 
hold  State  certificates,  9  hold  Normal  Training  certifi- 
cates, 13  have  first-grade  county  certificates,  12  second- 
grade,  and  14  third-grade. 

Each  of  the  towns  has  splendid  modern  school  build- 
ings, and  many  of  the  country  districts  have  school- 
houses  that  would  do  credit  to  any  community. 

The  average  wage  paid  teachers  for  the  year  1915-16 
was  $90  per  month,  for  high-school  teachers,  $70  per 
month  for  teachers  in  the  grades,  and  $55  per  month 
in  the  rural  schools. 


[77] 


FRATERNAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 

Meade  County  is  noted  for  its  Fraternal  Societies, 
and  probably,  in  proportion  to  its  population,  has  more 
fraternalists  than  any  other  county  in  Kansas. 

The  M.  W.  A.  have  a  camp  at  Plains,  organized  in 
1904.  Plains  Lodge  No.  367,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  or- 
ganized in  February,  1912. 

Fowler  Lodge  No.  519,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  received  its 
charter  on  Oct.  10th,  1901  ;  Fowler  Rebekah  Lodge 
No.  406  was  chartered  Jan.  21st,  1902;  Fowler  Camp 
No.  1768,  M.  W.  A.,  received  its  charter  on  March 
3rd,  1898;  and  Friendship  Camp  No.  1768,  R.  N.  A., 
was  chartered  Dec.  5th,  1908. 

The  city  of  Meade  is  especially  distinguished  as  a 
fraternal  center. 

Of  the  lodges  still  active,  the  oldest  is  Webb  Lodge 
No.  275,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  its  warrant  bearing  date  Feb. 
16th,  1887;  Webb  Chapter  No.  304,  O.  E.  S.,  was 
chartered  on  May  14th,  1908;  and  on  Feb.  16th,  1909, 
the  22nd  anniversary  of  the  blue  lodge,  a  warrant  was 
issued  for  Meade  Chapter  No.  46,  R.  A.  M. 

A  charter  was  issued  for  Meade  Lodge  No.  523, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  Oct.  10th,  1901  ;  for  the  Meade  Rebekah 
Lodge  No.  422,  on  Sept.  19th,  1902;  for  Meade  En- 
campment No.  138,  on  Oct.  10th,  1907  ;  and  a  warrant 
was  issued  for  the  Canton  of  Patriarchs  Militant  No. 
8,  on  Nov.  6th,  1907. 

Meade  Lodge  No.  22,  K.  of  P.,  was  organized  in 
November,  1911. 

[78] 


80  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Meade  Center  Lodge  No.  247,  A.  O.  U.  W.,  was 
granted  a  charter  on  Sept.  4th,  1902. 

A  charter  was  issued  to  Meade  Camp  No.  1738, 
M.  W.  A.,  on  Aug.  12th,  1892;  and  to  Middlemarch 
Camp  No.  622,  R.  N.  A.,  on  April  10th,  1902. 

Meade  Council  No.  225,  Sons  and  Daughters  of 
Justice,  was  organized  in  February,  1906. 

Meade  Center  Post  No.  388,  while  previously  exist- 
ing, was  reorganized  in  1909. 

Artesian  Camp  No.  201,  W.  O.  W.,  was  organized 
in  July,  1915. 

Meade  also  has  an  organization  of  the  A.  H.  T.  A. 

Three  members  of  the  Meade  organizations  are  at 
present  the  heads  of  three  great  orders,  viz.  :  R.  M. 
Painter  is  Department  Commander  of  the  G.  A.  R.  of 
Kansas  ;  O.  R.  Stevens  is  Grand  Patriarch  of  the  Grand 
Encampment,  I.  O.  O.  F.  ;  Frank  S.  Sullivan  is  Grand 
Chancellor  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Grand  Domain 
of  Kansas. 


BONDED  INDEBTEDNESS. 

On  March  15th,  1888,  Meade  County  issued  one 
hundred  twenty  bonds  of  one  thousand  dollars  each, 
bearing  six  per  cent  and  due  in  twenty  years,  in  aid  of 
the  Chicago,  Kansas  &  Nebraska  Railroad.  These 
are  the  only  bonds  ever  issued  by  the  county  as  an  orig- 
inal obligation,  all  subsequent  issues — and  there  have 
been  several — being  for  the  purpose  of  taking  care  of 
these  original  bonds,  and  other  accrued  indebtedness. 

The  bonds  standing  against  the  county  at  the  close 
of  the  fiscal  year,  July  1st,  1915,  are  as  follows : 

$26,000  due  in  1929,  bearing  5  per  cent  interest. 

$95,000  due  in  1936,  bearing  4^  per  cent  in- 
terest. 

$50,000  due  in  1938,  bearing  4J^  per  cent  in- 
terest. 

The  present  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  different 
townships  is  as  follows : 

Meade  Center $7,500 

West  Plains 6,000 

Sand  Creek 2,000 

The  cities  are  bonded  as  follows  : 

Meade $37,350 

Plains 20,000 

Fowler 29,300 


181] 


82  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

The  various  school  districts  had  in  outstanding  bonds, 
July  1st,  1915,  as  follows  : 

Joint  No.     1 $800 

No.     2 23,500 

No.    5 600 

No.  10 1,000 

No.  14 200 

No.  16 10,000 

No.  18 12,200 

No.  22 400 

No.  39 400 

No.  58 600 

No.  60 800 

No.  61 1,200 

No.  62 500 

No.  66 1,000 

No.  69 100 


FRANK    MARRS    AND    ONE    OF    HIS    WELLS. 


HIGHWAYS  AND  BRIDGES. 

In  the  construction  and  maintenance  of  highways 
and  bridges,  Meade  County  has  expended  considerable 
money  during  the  last  ten  years.  In  1889  the  Legis- 
lature enacted  a  law  declaring  all  section  lines  in  Meade 
County  to  be  public  highways.  As  the  country  was 
largely  devoted  to  stock-raising,  this  law  soon  proved 
to  be  very  objectionable  to  a  majority  of  the  citizens, 
and  was  repealed  by  Chapter  212  of  the  Laws  of  1895. 

So  long  as  the  country  was  used  largely  as  a  grazing 
proposition,  little  farming  being  done,  there  was  but 
little  use  for  roads,  and  very  little  money  was  ex- 
pended on  their  upkeep.  But  as  the  country  devel- 
oped, as  farmers  required  means  for  marketing  their 
crops,  and  especially  since  the  automobile  has  come 
into  general  use,  the  demand  for  more  and  better  roads 
has  been  insistent,  and  Meade  County  today  probably 
has  better  roads  than  any  other  county  of  the  same 
population. 

Up  to  this  time  77  miles  have  been  designated  as 
county  roads,  as  follows  :  A  road  extending  from  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  city  of  Plains  north  to  the 
county  line,  14  miles  ;  extending  from  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  city  of  Plains  south  to  the  State  line, 
practically  18  miles ;  a  road  extending  north  from 
Missler  to  the  county  line,  11  miles  ;  a  road  connecting 
Plains,  Meade  and  Fowler,  located  as  follows  :  Com- 
mencing at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  city  of  Plains, 
thence  1  mile  north,  thence  5  miles  east,  thence  2  miles 

[84] 


HIGHWAYS    AND    BRIDGES.  85 

north,  thence  4. miles  east,  thence  one  half-mile  south, 
thence  1  mile  east,  thence  one  half-mile  south,  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  Section  5,  Township  32,  Range 
28 ;  thence,  commencing  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
said  Section  5  and  extending  east  to  the  city  of  Meade ; 
from  Meade  the  road  goes  north  about  one  half-mile, 
thence  east  one  half-mile,  then  north  1  mile,  east  one 
half-mile,  north  2  miles,  east  1  mile,  north  2  miles, 
thence  east  6  miles,  to  Fowler,  thence  north  from  the 
northwest  corner  of  Fowler  6  miles,  to  the  county  line. 

It  will  be  noted  there  is  a  gap  in  this  road  around 
Section  5,  Township  32,  Range  28.  The  reason  for 
this  is  that  when  this  road  was  designated  the  Com- 
missioners were  unable  to  determine  whether  the  road 
should  follow  the  section  line  around  Section  5,  or 
whether  to  angle  through  this  section,  and  so  this 
matter  was  left  to  be  decided  later. 

All  county  roads  are  graded  and  dragged  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  county,  and  many  of  the  township  roads 
are  graded  and  dragged  at  the  expense  of  the  various 
townships. 

The  steel  bridge  across  Crooked  Creek,  on  Road  No. 
1,  just  east  of  Meade,  was  built  in  1909,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,765. 

In  1910  three  bridges  were  built  under  the  same  con- 
tract, the  aggregate  cost  being  $5,381.  These  are  all  con- 
crete bridges,  and  are  known  as  the  Brinckman  bridge, 
crossing  Crooked  Creek  on  Road  No.  88 ;  the  Bunyan 
bridge,  crossing  Crooked  Creek  on  Road  No.  68 ;  and 
the  Conrad  bridge,  crossing  Crooked  Creek  on  Road 
No.  6. 

Eight  bridges  were   built  in   1913,   all   of  concrete. 


86  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

They  are  as  follows  :  The  Adams  bridge,  just  north 
of  Meade,  on  Road  No.  72;  cost  $1,776.  Prior  to 
this  time  a  wooden  bridge  had  stood  here.  The  Pin- 
nick  bridge,  on  Road  No.  3,  about  a  mile  west  of  Fowler, 
at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  The  Watt  bridge,  on  Road  No. 
63,  across  Crooked  Creek,  north  of  Fowler,  at  a  cost 
of  $1,448.  The  Fanchar  bridge,  across  Sand  Creek, 
on  Road  No.  39,  Logan  Township,  at  an  original  cost 
of  $1,375.  Scarcely  had  this  bridge  been  completed 
than  high  water  caused  the  creek  to  cut  a  new  channel, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  extend  the  bridge  at  an 
additional  cost  of  $1,200.  A  bridge  across  Crooked 
Creek,  on  the  line  between  Meade  and  Ford  Counties, 
was  built  by  the  two  counties  jointly,  each  county  pay- 
ing the  sum  of  $545.     This  is  on  Road  No.  54. 

The  McMeel  bridge,  just  south  of  Meade,  on  Road 
No.  8,  was  built  by  Meade  Center  Township,  the  county 
contributing  $300.  The  Boyer  bridge,  on  Road  No. 
32,  was  also  built  by  the  township,  the  county  con- 
tributing $400. 

The  year  1915  brought  four  bridges.  On  Road  No. 
32,  across  Skunk  Arroya,  in  Odee  Township,  a  cement 
ford  was  constructed  at  a  cost  of  $250.  A  low-water 
bridge  was  built  across  Stump  Arroya,  on  Road  No.  32, 
in  Odee  Township,  at  a  cost  of  $1,917. 

The  Stalder  bridge,  on  Road  No.  70,  across  Crooked 
Creek,  in  Meade  Center  Township,  cost  $600 ;  the 
Hughbanks  bridge,  on  Road  No.  32,  Meade  Center 
Township,  cost  $2,355.80.  This  creek  was  spanned  by 
a  bridge  which  stood  up  for  a  year  or  two,  but  the  high 
waters  of  1915  undermined  the  foundation,  wrecking  the 
bridge,  and  making  the  construction  of  a  larger  and  bet- 
ter one  imperative. 


A 


A    COOL    DRINK. 


88  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

About  ten  years  ago  the  county  built  a  low  wooden 
bridge  across  the  Cimarron  river,  on  Road  No.  95,  at 
a  cost  of  about  $750,  of  which  the  Meade  Commercial 
Club  paid  one-third.  This  bridge  was  taken  out  by 
flood,  and  in  1909  the  county  built  a  one-hundred-foot 
span  steel  bridge  where  the  wooden  bridge  had  stood, 
at  a  cost  of  $2,830.  In  1913  the  approach  to  the  south 
end  of  this  bridge  burned  out,  and  was  replaced  at  a 
cost  of  $388. 

In  May,  1914,  a  flood,  the  like  of  which  is  not  in  the 
memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant,  came  down  the 
Cimarron,  taking  this  bridge  out  completely.  When 
the  waters  subsided,  of  the  structure  costing  more  than 
three  thousand  dollars  nothing  remained  save  three  or 
four  pillars,  the  remainder  of  the  bridge  being  buried 
somewhere  in  the  treacherous  sands,  from  which  no 
part  of  it  has  ever  been  recovered. 


AUTOMOBILES. 

On  August  29th,  1904,  there  was  delivered  to  John 
W.  Baughman,  at  Plains,  the  first  automobile  to  enter 
Meade  County.  It  was  a  two-passenger  Winton  Sur- 
rey, capable  of  a  speed  of  fifteen  miles  an  hour  under 
favorable  conditions,  but  there  is  ro  record  of  its  ever 
having  attained  so  great  a  velocity.  In  consideration 
of  this  car,  which  was  a  "second-hand"  one,  Mr. 
Baughman  exchanged  a  quarter-section  of  land  for 
which  he  had  paid  the  sum  of  one  hundred  twenty-five 
dollars.  Dr.  Fee  was  the  second  Meade  County  man 
to  own  a  car,  and  his  first  was  of  the  old-style  buggy 
type ;  and  when  C.  P.  Fullington  appeared  with  his 
one-cylinder  Cadillac  and  a  regular  chauffeur,  Meade 
took  on  metropolitan  airs. 

On  May  1st,  1916,  there  were  360  cars  registered, 
of  43  different  makes,  classified  as  follows  :  Ford,  147  ; 
Overland,  35;  Maxwell,  31  ;  Reo,  25;  Buick,  18;  Stu- 
debaker,  Hudson,  and  Dodge,  10  each ;  Allen,  9 ; 
E.  M.  F.,  5  ;  Chandler,  Halliday,  Flanders,  Saxon,  and 
Hupmobile,  4  each ;  Jackson,  Brush,  and  Chalmers,  3 
each ;  Moline,  Regal,  Case,  Krit,  Mitchell,  and  Oak- 
land, 2  each ;  and  1  each  of  Lambert,  Sterling,  Paige, 
Apperson,  Partin-Palmer,  Glide,  Detroiter,  Wescot, 
Metz,  Paige-Detroit,  Chevrolet,  Dort,  Mason,  Carter, 
King,  Auburn,  Anchor,  Jones,  and  Coey. 

At  the  same  time  there  were  73  motor-cycles,  of  the 
following  makes  :    Harley-Davidson,  41  ;    Indian,   16  ; 


[89] 


90  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Excelsior,  9  ;     Henderson,   2 ;    and  one  each  of  Thor, 
Apache,  Sears  Leader,  Light,  and  Pope. 

Dealers'  licenses  were  in  effect  for  the  Harley-David- 
son  motor-cycle,  and  for  the  following  cars  :  Empire, 
Interstate,  Ford,  Detroiter,  Allen,  Hupmobile,  Krit, 
Halliday,  Moon,  Maxwell,  Hudson,  Overland,  Saxon, 
Buick,  Dodge,  Studebaker. 


EARLY-DAY    RESIDENCE. 


THE  COURT  HOUSE. 

During  the  county-seat  fight  it  was  generally  under- 
stood that  if  the  county  seat  were  located  at  Meade 
Center  the  city  would  dedicate  a  block  in  the  center 
of  the  town,  designated  on  the  official  plat  as  "Block 
A,"  to  the  county,  and  would  erect  for  the  county  a 
<?ourt  house. 

But,  "the  best-laid  schemes  of  mice  and  men  gang 
aft  a-gley."  Meade  Center  was  designated  as  the 
county  seat,  but  the  proposed  dedication  of  "Block 
A"  to  the  county  was  never  made,  and  neither  was  the 
court  house  ever  built  for  the  county. 

The  building  originally  used  as  a  court  h'ouse  was  a 
frame  building  on  the  south  side  of  the  alley  cf  the 
block  in  which  now  stands  the  Southern  Hotel,  facing 
east.  This  building  was  rented  by  the  county,  and 
while  some  of  the  county  officers  maintained  offices 
uptown,  this  was  officially  the  court  house,  although 
court  was  held  in  the  second  story  of  a  building  located 
back  of  the  present  site  of  Fick's  store,  and  facing  north. 

On  March  3rd,  1888,  the  city  of  Meade  obtained  from 
Charles  E.  Cones  a  deed  for  Lots  13  and  14,  in  Block  3, 
original  survey,  and  soon  thereafter  commenced  the 
construction  of  the  present  court  house,  although  it 
was  built  for,  and  known  for  years  as,  the  city  hall. 
It  has  been  used  as  a  court  house  practically  ever  since 
its  completion. 

In  the  summer  of  1895  negotiations  were  had  be- 
tween the  County  Commissioners  and  the  City  Coun- 

[92] 


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94  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

cil  of  Meade,  looking  toward  the  purchase  of  this  build- 
ing by  the  county.  The  proposition  was  voted  on  at 
the  general  election  in  November,  and  carried  by  a  vote 
of  288  to  39.  The  nominal  consideration  was  five 
thousand  dollars,  which  was  paid  in  a  round-about 
way.  The  Meade  County  Bank,  which  had  failed  and 
was  then  in  the  hands  of  George  B.  Cones,  Trustee,  was 
a  depository  of  something  like  four  thousand  dollars 
of  the  county's  funds.  The  city  of  Meade  owed  this 
bank  ;  the  city  had  not  the  money  to  pay  the  bank,  and 
the  bank  lacked  the  necessary  assets  to  make  restora- 
tion to  the  county,  and  so  the  county  took  over  the  city 
hall,  paying  to  the  city  of  Meade  the  sum  of  $950.56 
and  to  the  trustee  of  The  Meade  County  Bank  the  sum 
of  $82.77,  and  thus  released  the  bank  from  further 
obligation  to  the  county.  The  city  was  released  from 
further  obligation  to  the  bank,  the  two  debts  were 
wiped  out,  and  the  county  acquired  the  present  court 
house. 

In  April,  1911,  the  county  purchased  of  George  B. 
Cones  two  lots  adjoining  the  court-house  site,  for  a  con- 
sideration of  $355.55,  and  in  December,  1915,  the 
county  purchased  of  Lucy  R.  Allen  eight  lots  adjoin- 
ing these,  for  a  consideration  of  $1,6CC,  so  that  the 
county  row  owns  an  entire  half-block,  a  tract  of  ground 
suitable  in  area  and  location  for  a  court  house  such  as 
Meade  County  ought  to  have. 

The  present  court  house,  while  having  served  its 
purpose  well  in  the  past,  is  by  no  means  adequate  to 
the  needs  of  the  present,  and  it  would  be  false  economy 
to  retain  it  much  longer.  Not  a  single  office  is  suffi- 
ciently commodious  to  permit  a  proper  transaction  of 


THE    COURT    HOUSE.  95 


the  business  pertaining  to  that  office ;  every  vault 
is  packed  and  crowded  with  records  until  it  is  a  difficult 
proposition,  oftentimes,  to  find  the  record  of  a  particular 
thing  required  ;  the  Commissioners  have  nowhere  to 
meet  save  in  the  County  Clerk's  office,  which  office  is 
of  inadequate  proportions  for  that  purpose  ;  there  is 
but  one  jury-room,  and  that  is  so  small  as  to  be  unsani- 
tary ;  no  record  is  absolutely  safe,  and  a  fire  would  do 
incalculable  and  irreparable  damage. 

A  commodious,  modern,  fire-proof  building  could  be 
constructed  at  a  cost  to  each  taxpayer  of  four  dollars 
on  every  thousand  dollars  valuation  of  his  property, 
and  such  a  building  would  not  only  save  money  to 
every  taxpayer  in  the  way  of  lessened  expense  of  up- 
keep and  insurance,  but  the  danger  of  damage  or  de- 
struction of  records  would  be  eliminated,  and  such  a 
building  would  add  to  the  value  of  every  tract  and  parcel 
of  real  property  in  the  county. 

Not  only  as  a  matter  of  pride,  not  only  as  a  matter 
of  convenience,  not  only  as  a  matter  of  "safety  first," 
but  as  a  matter  of  dollars  and  cents,  Meade  County 
should  have  a  new  court  house,  and  one  that  will  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  future  as  well  as  the  needs  of 
the  present. 


THE  SALT  WELL. 

One  of  the  natural  curiosities  of  Meade  County  is 
the  salt  well,  about  two  miles  south  of  Meade,  the  his- 
tory of  which  commences  at  about  the  time  of  the  first 
settlement. 

The  Jones  &  Plummer  trail  was  the  route  of  prac- 
tically all  travel  between  Fort  Dodge  and  Fort  Elliott. 
This  trail  passed  east  of  the  present  site  of  Meade 
about  a  mile,  extended  south  for  several  miles,  and  then 
turned  westward.  It  was  the  practice  of  travelers, 
and  more  especially  of  freighters,  to  camp  on  Spring 
Creek  the  second  night  out  of  Fort  Dodge.  To  reach 
this  favorite  camping-ground  they  would  branch  off  of 
the  main  trail  a  mile  or  so  south  of  the  present  city  of 
Meade,  and  angle  across  the  prairie  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  to  the  waters  of  Spring  Creek,  and  a  well- 
defined  trail  across  this  prairie  had  been  established. 
On  March  16th,  1879,  a  Mexican  freighter  passed  along 
this  accustomed  route,  and  camped  on  Spring  Creek. 
All  was  as  usual  at  that  time.  On  the  19th  of  March 
an  American  freighter,  probably  returning  from  Fort 
Elliott,  discovered  an  immense  "cave-in"  on  this 
branch  trail  to  Spring  Creek.  One  side  of  the  road,  or 
trail,  was  left  intact,  the  other  had  disappeared.  He 
proceeded  to  Dodge  City  and  reported  his  strange  dis- 
covery. Great  interest  was  awakened,  and  many  per- 
sons from  Dodge  and  elsewhere  came  to  view  this  re- 
markable work  of  Nature.  Among  the  first  to  visit 
it  was  C.  E.  Haywood,  and  it  is  to  him  and  to  J.  R. 

[96] 


THE    SALT    WELL.  97 


Colgan  that  the  author  is  principally  indebted  for  the 
early  history  of  this  "well." 

Many  stories  are  extant  concerning  the  depth  of  the 
salt  well.  One  story  is  that  Capt.  Wirth  let  down  six 
hundred  feet  of  rope  without  finding  bottom,  and  while 
this  appears  to  be  authenticated,  yet  it  does  not  follow 
that  the  well  was  more  than  six  hundred  feet  deep, 
because  the  water  was  so  impregnated  with  salt  that 
a  human  body  would  float  round  like  a  dry  log,  so  it 
is  not  surprising  that  the  rope,  although  attached  to  a 
weight,  did  not  sink. 

In  May,  1879,  J.  R.  Colgan  took  careful  measure- 
ments of  the  depth,  and  found  that  from  the  top  of  the 
bank  to  the  water  was  nineteen  feet,  and  the  water,  at 
the  deepest  place,  measured  twenty-three  feet.  At  that 
time  the  cavity  was  almost  exactly  circular,  and  was, 
according  to  the  judgment  of  Mr.  Colgan,  about  sev- 
enty-five feet  in  diameter ;  the  side  walls  were  per- 
pendicular. At  the  present  time  the  hole  is  almost 
perfectly  circular,  and  measures  two  hundred  feet  in 
diameter.  The  increase  in  the  diameter  has  been 
caused  by  subsequent  caving  of  the  banks,  and  by  the 
wash  of  the  rains  of  many  years.  The  side  walls,  while 
not  now  perpendicular,  are  so  precipitous  that  descent 
is  impossible  except  in  one  or  two  places.  The  ground, 
for  one  hundred  feet  back  from  the  hole,  shows  evi- 
dence of  a  tendency  to  cave ;  the  caving  and  washing 
have  filled  the  cavity  until  now  the  water  is  but  a  few 
feet  deep  at  the  deepest  part,  and  no  doubt  subsequent 
cavings  will  fill  it  to  a  point  above  the  water-line. 

Many  persons  claim  to  have  heard  a  great  rumbling 
and  roar,  caused  by  the  cave-in  of  this  well.     But  when 


98  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


we  consider  that  the  only  settlers  in  Meade  County 
at  that  time  resided  many  miles  from  this  place,  too 
far  distant  to  hear  any  disturbance  there  may  have 
been,  if  any,  which  is  doubtful,  we  should  politely  listen 
to  such  narrations  and  give  them  such  credence  as  other 
fairy  tales  are  entitled  to. 

In  September,  1879,  George  B.  Allen  secured  one 
gallon  of  water  from  this  well,  which  he  evaporated  by 
boiling  and  obtained  one  quart  of  salt. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  William  Sturgis  commercialized 
the  salt  well  in  the  manufacture  of  "Meade  County 
Solar  Salt."  The  water  was  pumped  from  the  well  by 
windmill  into  a  vat,  where  it  was  evaporated  by  boil- 
ing ;  but  this  method  did  not  prove  a  success,  either 
through  lack  of  knowledge  or  lack  of  proper  equip- 
ment, as  the  salt  obtained  had  a  dirty,  rusty  appearance. 
This  plan  of  evaporation  was  early  abandoned  and  the 
water  allowed  to  evaporate  by  the  sun's  rays,  and  by 
this  method  an  exceptionally  good  quality  of  clean  salt 
was  secured,  which  was  placed  in  504b.  sacks  and  sold, 
at  the  plant,  for  $1  per  cwt.  Twenty-two  vats,  each 
measuring  twelve  by  sixteen  feet,  were  used,  and  the 
quantity  of  salt  procured  was  from  two  thousand  to 
two  thousand  five  hundred  pounds  daily.  At  this 
time  one  gallon  of  water  produced  one  pint  of  salt. 
After  a  year  or  two  Mr.  Sturgis  sold  his  plant  to  one 
John  Ristrem  (spelling  not  vouched  for)  who  con- 
tinued to  operate  it  for  a  year  or  two,  and  then  sus- 
pended operations  for  the  reason  that  the  quantity  of 
salt  derived  from  a  given  volume  of  water  gradually 
decreased  until  "salt-making"  became  unprofitable. 
Also,  there  were  no  means  of  transportation  except  by 


100  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

freight  wagons,  and  the  output  was  always  limited  to 
the  local  demand. 

The  second  year  the  salt-works  were  operated  what 
was  considered  a  strange  phenomenon  was  observed. 
It  had  been  customary  for  people  to  bathe  in  the  well, 
the  impossibility  of  sinking,  the  ability  to  float  around 
without  effort,  making  this  recreation  especially  de- 
lightful. At  this  time  one  who  had  gone  into  the 
water  for  the  first  time  made  haste  to  come  out,  and 
announced  that  "the  water  was  scalding."  Investi- 
gation proved  that  while  the  water  at  the  surface  was 
of  the  ordinary  temperature,  at  a  depth  of  about  two 
feet  it  was  noticeably  warmer,  and  at  a  depth  of  five  or 
six  feet  was  almost  "scalding."  The  experience  of 
bathers  ever  after  was,  that  the  water  increased  in  tem- 
perature with  the  depth,  and  this  fact  gave  origin  to 
the  theory  of  hot  springs  under  the  bed  of  the  well 
and  that  the  hot  water  escaped  upward  through  some 
orifice.  This  theory,  however,  has  been  proven  falla- 
cious. If  this  were  true  the  difference  in  temperature 
would  be  as  great,  perhaps  greater,  in  winter  than  in 
summer.  But  tests  have  proved  that  the  temperature 
of  the  surface-water  and  of  water  at  the  bottom  of  the 
well  is  practically  the  same  in  winter.  The  true  ex- 
planation is  that  the  salt,  and  other  minerals  in  solu- 
tion, readily  absorb  the  sun's  heat,  and  the  heat  thus 
absorbed  is  retained  by  the  lower  particles,  while  the 
particles  near  the  surface  give  off  their  heat  at  night. 
Hence  the  water  near  the  surface  would  at  no  time 
contain  more  heat  than  had  been  absorbed  from  the 
sun  on  the  given  day,  while  the  lower  waters,  giving 
off  the  heat  less  readily,  would  retain  a  portion  of  every 


THE    SALT    WELL.  101 


day's  absorption  and  thus  become  pregnant  with  stored 
heat. 

The  well  was  a  favorite  resort  for  bathers  up  until 
ten  or  twelve  years  ago,  and  during  all  of  that  time  the 
solution  of  salt  was  so  great  that  one's  body  would  float 
as  readily  as  would  a  log  in  ordinary  fresh  water. 
Various  tests  have  been  made  to  ascertain  the  amount 
of  salt  in  this  water,  the  per  cent  varying  considerably 
at  different  times.  It  has  tested  as  high  as  thirty-six 
per  cent,  but  the  amount  at  the  present  time  is  neg- 
ligible. In  June,  1916,  the  writer  procured  two  quarts 
of  this  water.  It  had  a  pronounced  alkaline  taste,  but 
on  being  evaporated  by  boiling,  no  salt,  nor  other 
sediment,  remained.  What  a  chemical  analysis  would 
show  I  do  not  know,  but,  so  far  as  the  naked  eye  could 
discern,  the  entire  volume  of  these  two  quarts  was 
converted  into  steam.  This  water  was  taken  from  the 
surface  ;  it  might  be  that  a  sample  taken  from  the  bot- 
tom would  still  disclose  the  presence  of  salt. 

The  water  now  stands  at  practically  the  same  level 
as  originally.  The  shallow  water,  along  the  banks,  is 
transparently  clear,  but  the  deeper  parts  present  a 
dark-green  appearance.  It  sustains  no  animal  or  vege- 
table life,  save  a  few  insects,  except  that  the  writer  has 
observed  a  solitary  muskrat  disporting,  and,  apparently, 
enjoying  himself  therein. 


DRILLING    THE    WHEAT. 


FARM  STATISTICS. 

The  following  tables  show  the  population  of  the 
county  by  years,  and  statistics  of  the  principal  farm 
products,  from  1886  to  1915  inclusive : 

1886.— Population,  3,827. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.         504  7,056 

Spring  wheat "               5  50 

Rye "           125  1,500 

Corn "      12,151  303,775 

Barley..: "              5  100 

Oats "        2,678  80,340 

Buckwheat "              7  105 

Irish  potatoes "           389  29,175 

Sweet  potatoes "             90  9,000 

Castor  beans "             61  610 

Cotton "              1  300 

Tobacco lbs.           12  7,200 

Broom  corn "             47  23,500 

Millet tons    4,617  9,234 

Prairie  hay "  6,968 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $1,869 

Butter,  lbs 15,105 

Cheese,  lbs ■ 445 

Milk  sold $86 

Garden  products  sold $1,551 

Number 

Horses 1,285 

Mules  and  asses 406 

Milch  cows ■ 938 

Other  cattle 2,325 

Swine 475 

Sheep ....   1,024 

[103] 


104 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


1887.— Population,  4,407. 

A  cres 

Winter  wheat bu.  797 

Spring  wheat "       

Corn "  13,627 

Oats ..: "  1,874 

Rye "  124 

Barley "  101 

Buckwheat "  8 

Irish  potatoes "  291 

Sweet  potatoes "  72 

Castor  beans "  6 

Cotton lbs.  2 

Flax bu.  1 

Tobacco lbs.  5 

Broom  corn "  27 

Millet tons  5,577 

Prairie  hay , " 

Quantity 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs.      3,170 

Cheese "         300 

Butter 34,698 

Milk  sold 

Horticultural  products  marketed 

Garden  products  marketed 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses ' 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 


Product 

7,690 

204,405 

56,220 

1,240 

2,020 

120 

23,280 

7,200 

60 

500 

10 

3,000 

16,200 

11,154 

4,030 

Value 

$3,994.00 

570.60 

36.00 

5,204.70 

132.00 

65.00 

3,667.00 

Number 

...  1,651 

...  508 

...  1,476 

.  .  .  4,254 

.  .  .  857 

.  .  .  1,152 


1888.— Population,  4,561. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.  133 

Spring  wheat 


Product 
2,394 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


105 


Acres 

Corn bu.    16,560 

Oats "        3,891 

Rye "  95 

Barley -,..'•'  25 

Buckwheat "  4 

Irish  potatoes "  315 

Sweet  potatoes "  144 

Castor  beans "  38 

Cotton lbs 

Flax. bu.         149 

Tobacco lbs.  5 

Broom  corn "  434 

Millet tons    8,036 

Prairie  hay "    


Quantity 


Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip 

Cheese lbs. 

Butter " 

Milk  sold 

Horticultural  products  marketed 

Garden  products  marketed 


481 
65,461 


Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows . 

Other  cattle .... 

Sheep 

Swine 


Product 

165,600 

97,275 

1,140 

125 

60 

12,600 

8,640 

190 

745 

3,000 

217,000 

16,072 

5,828 

Value 
$4,234.00 

57.72 

11,782.98 

2,554.00 

2,415.00 

Number 

.  .  .  1,927 

...  608 

...  1,897 

...  5,291 

...  1,749 

...  1,7  6 


1889. 


Winter  wheat bu 

Spring  wheat " 

Corn 

Oats : 

Rye 


Population,  3,596. 

Acres 
3,336 
45 
"      12,580 
2,712 
558 


Product 
40,032 
450 
125,800 
51,528 
10,044 


106  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Acres 

Product 

76 

1,900 

17 

255 

187 

3,740 

132 

6,600 

161 

966 

111 

999 

4 

1,200 

3 

1,800 

359 

215,400 

4,260 

8,452 

4,140 

Barley bu. 

Buckwheat " 

Irish  potatoes. . . . " 

Sweet  potatoes " 

Castor  beans " 

Flax " 

Cotton lbs. 

Tobacco " 

Broom  corn " 

Millet tons 

Prairie  hay " 

Poultry  and  eggs $3,659 

Butter,  lbs 59,043 

Milk  sold $905 

Wool  clip,  lbs 7,890 

Garden  products  sold $1,078 

Horticultural $1,400 

Number 

Horses 1,499 

Mules  and  asses 411 

Milch  cows 2,308 

Other  cattle 5,508 

Swine 1,007 

Sheep 652 

1890.— Population,  2,651. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.      2,779  27,790 

Spring  wheat 

Corn 

Oats 

Rye 

Barley 

Buckwheat 

Irish  potatoes 

Sweet  potatoes 

Castor  beans 


208  1,540 

189  945 

1,256  12,560 

730  8,760 

3  18 

132  1,320 


46  1,400 

292  1,460 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


107 


A  cres 

Product 

Flax 

bu. 

109 

654 

Cotton 

lbs. 

Tobacco 

n 

327 

Broom  corn 

u 

81,750 

Millet 

tons 

2,212 

2,212 

Prairie  hay 

a 

4,708 

Poultry  and  eggs $4,831 

Butter,  lbs 51,042 

Milk  sold • 

Wool  clip,  lbs 5,900 

Garden  products  sold •. $1,202 

Horticultural 


Horses 

Mules  and  asses. 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle .... 

Swine 

Sheep 


1891. — Population, 


Winter  wheat bu. 

Spring  wheat 

Corn 

Oats 

Rye 

Buckwheat 

Irish  potatoes 

Sweet  potatoes 

Castor  beans , 

Cotton lbs. 

Flax bu. 

Broom  corn lbs. 

Millet. .'. tons 

Alfalfa " 

Prairie  hay " 


1,831. 
Acres 
7,714 
52 
3,540 
590 
216 


35 

10 

41 

1 

21 

204 

1,287 

240 


Number 
1,323 
256 
1,927 
8,297 
1,400 
1,467 


Product 

100,282 

624 

88,500 

17,700 

6,048 

2,275 

1,000 

369 

250 

168 

81,600 

1,930 

73 

2,959 


108 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs. 

Cheese " 

Butter " 

Milk  sold 

Garden  products  marketed 

Horticultural  products  marketed .... 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses .' 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 


Quantity 

9,320 

2,045 

49,281 


Value 

$2,523.00 

1,677.60 

224.95 

7,392.15 

240.00 

1,576.00 

16.00 

Number 
.  .       1,432 

..  201 

.  .  1,447 

.  .  8,536 

.  .  2,100 

.  .  1,026 


1892.— Population,  2,028. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.      8,773 

Spring  wheat "  390 

Corn "        4,213 

Oats "  964 

Rye "       3,269 

Buckwheat "  11 

Irish  potatoes "  63 

Sweet  potatoes "  5 

Castor  beans "     

Cotton lbs 

Flax bu 

Broom  corn lbs.         382 

Millet tons    1,841 

Alfalfa "  627 

Prairie  hay "      

Quantity 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs.    15,010 

Cheese "        2,787 


Product 

158,114 

4,680 

25,278 

23,136 

98,070 

110 

1,890 

200 


114,600 
1,841 
2,380 

4,822 

Value 

$2,465.00 

2,551.70 

306.57 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


109 


Quantity  Value 

Butter lbs.    35,807  $5,371.05 

Milk  sold 34.00 

Garden  products  marketed 1,955.00 

Horticultural  products  marketed ....          6,273 .  00 

Number 

Horses 1,532 

Mules  and  asses 170 

Milch  cows 1,134 

Other  cattle 9,088 

Sheep 1,911 

Swine 785 

1893.— Population,  2,048. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.  15,299  16,518 

Spring  wheat "  250                   

Corn "  4,556                   

Oats "  934  7,472 

Rye "  2,379  11,895 

Barley "  4,940  49,400 

Irish  potatoes "  51  1,020 

Sweet  potatoes "  16  800 

Broom  corn lbs.  829  207,250 

Millet tons  816  816 

Milo  maize "  465  1,395 

Kaffir  corn ....   "  1,210  2,420 

Jerusalem  corn "  60  90 

Alfalfa "  896  1,494 

Prairie  hay "     3,932 

Quantity  Value 

Milk  sold 

Poultry  and  eggs  o^ld $2,552.00 

Wool  clip lbs.    13,297  2,127.52 

Cheese "       3,080  338.80 

Butter "      40,414  6,466.24 

Garden  products  marketed 1,783.00 

Horticultural  products 35 .  00 


110 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Number 

Horses 2,106 

Mules  and  asses 215 

Milch  cows 1,202 

Other  cattle 10,653 

Sheep 2,184 

Swine 862 


1894.—  Population,  2,025. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.    20,492 

Spring  wheat "  17 

Corn "        1,655 

Oats "  310 

Rye "       1,811 

Barley "        2,951 

Irish  potatoes "  48 

Sweet  potatoes "  6 

Broom  corn lbs.         150 

Millet tons       444 

Milo  maize "  215 

Kaffir  corn "        2,507 

Jerusalem  corn "  15 

Alfalfa "  958 

Prairie  hay "      


Milk  sold 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs. 

Cheese " 

Butter " 

Garden  products  marketed 

Horticultural  products 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep  

Swine 


Quantity 


13,065 

2,815 

42,809 


Product 
64,547 


1,807 

14,488 

35,412 

1,920 

522 

45,000 

222 

2,150 

25,070 

150 

1,478 

4,448 

Value 
$125.00 
2,537.00 
1,698.45 
337.80 
6,849.44 
1,046.00 


Number 
2,339 
167 
1,154 
6,305 
3,152 
765 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


Ill 


1895. — Population,  1 

Winter  wheat bu. 

Spring  wheat 

Corn 

Oats 

Rye 

Barley 

Buckwheat 

Irish  potatoes 

Sweet  potatoes 

Cotton lbs. 

Flax bu. 

Tobacco lbs. 

Broom  corn " 

Millet tons 

Sorghum  for  syrup gals. 

Milo  maize tons 

Kaffir  corn " 

Jerusalem  corn " 

Alfalfa . " 

Prairie  hay " 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs. 

Cheese " 

Butter " 

Milk  sold 

Garden  products  marketed 

Horticultural  products  marketed .... 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 


,741. 

Acres 

16,093 

133 

3,094 

421 

2,341 

4,348 

40 

59 

27 

10 

6 

2 

235 

324 

49 

240 

1,944 

30 

1,117 


Quantity 

27,900 

2,769 

42,009 


Product 

32,186 

21,648 

5,052 

11,705 

69,568 

160 

1,770 

1,026 

8,000 

24 

1,400 

117,500 

324 

1,960 

720 

5,832 

90 

2,060 

13,086 

Value 

51,411.00 

2,511.00 

290.75 

5,461.17 

42.00 

2,771.00 

171.00 

Number 
.  1,926 
133 
.  1,030 
.  7,115 
.  5,550 
713 


112 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


1896.— Population,  1,651. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.      8,954 

Spring  wheat "  43 

Corn "        2,025 

Oats "  548 

Rye "        1,196 

Barley "        4,915 

Buckwheat "  5 

Irish  potatoes "  91 

Sweet  potatoes "  13 

Cotton lbs 

Flax bu.  7 

Tobacco lbs 

Broom  corn " 

Millet tons 

Sorghum  for  syrup gals. 

Milo  maize tons 

Kaffir  corn " 

Jerusalem  corn " 

Alfalfa " 

Prairie  hay " 


Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs. 

Cheese " 

Butter " 

Milk  sold 

Garden  products  marketed 

Horticultural  products  marketed .... 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 


139 

782 

40 

160 

2,517 

35 

1,577 

Quantity 

32,727 

2,932 

38,233 


Product 
17,908 

10,125 

3,288 

5,980 

12,045 

910 


41,700 

261 

2,000 

320 

5,034 

35 

2,321 

6,234 

Value 

$2,182.00 

2,945.43 

234.56 

4,205.63 

2,375.00 
181.00 

Number 
.  .     2,531 

145 
.  .  1,109 
.  .  9,343 
.  .     6,269 

704 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


113 


1897. — Population, 


1,566. 
Acres 
3,313 


Winter  wheat bu 

Spring  wheat "     

Corn "  2,280 

Oats.. "  259 

Rye. "  444 

Barley "  1,749 

Buckwheat "  5 

Irish  potatoes "  17 

Sweet  potatoes "  9 

Castor  beans "  1 

Broom  corn lbs.  40 

Millet tons  952 

Sorghum  (syrup) ' gals.  352 

Milo  maize tons  187 

Kaffir  corn "  2,418 

Alfalfa "  1,286 

Prairie  hay "  ...... 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold • 

Butter,  lbs 

Cheese,  lbs 

Milk  sold 

Wool  clip,  lbs 

Garden  products  sold 

Horticultural 


Product 
39,756 

22,800 

4,144 

5,328 

34,980 

50 

765 

540 

5 

17,000 

1,666 

17,600 

701 

9,067 

8,055 

4,121 

$1,944 

37,309 

1,975 

$58 
27,300 

$710 
$310 


Number 

Horses 2,269 

Mules  and  asses 116 

Milch  cows 876 

Other  cattle 11,407 

Swine 551 

Sheep 3,220 


1898.— Population,  1,562. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.      5,805 

Spring  wheat "  12 


Product 

46,440 

60 


114  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

A  cres  Product 

Corn bu.      1,526  19,838 

Oats "          433  6,495 

Rye "        1,112  11,120 

Barley "        3,107  77,675 

Buckwheat -..'."     

Irish  potatoes "             36  1,800 

Sweet  potatoes "            12  600 

Castor  beans "     

Broom  corn lbs.           25  10,000 

Millet tons    1,067  2,134 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         58  2,900 

Milo  maize tons         62  217 

Kaffir  corn "        2,501  6,878 

Alfalfa "        2,323  12,103 

Prairie  hay "     7,224 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $2,582 

Butter,  lbs 36,975 

Cheese,  lbs 5,395 

Milk  sold $102 

Wool  clip,  lbs 21,049 

Garden  products  sold $959 

Horticultural $684 

Number 

Horses 2,568 

Mules  and  asses 127 

Milch  cows 1,396 

Other  cattle 20,545 

Swine 635 

Sheep 3,937 

1899.— Population,  1,541. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.      5,113  20,452 

Spring  wheat "              6  18 

Corn "        1,526  22,890 

Oats "           210  4,200 


FARM    STATISTICS.  115 


Acres  Product 

Rye bu.         316  2,212 

Barley "       4,357  43,570 

Irish  potatoes "             16  960 

Sweet  potatoes "               5  250 

Broom  corn lbs.           35  10,500 

Millet tons    1,483  2,966 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         45  1,800 

Milo  maize ' tons         70  140 

Kaffir  corn "        3,485  10,455 

Alfalfa "        2,385  12,524 

Prairie  hay "     8,220 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $2,460 

Butter,  lbs 27,960 

Milk  sold $240 

Wool  clip,  lbs 25,600 

Cheese,  lbs 3,400 

Garden  products  sold $1,269 

Horticultural,  sold $125 

Number 

Horses 2,793 

Mules  and  asses 162 

Milch  cows 976 

Other  cattle 24,525 

Swine 930 

Sheep \ 4,755 

1900.— Population,  1,521. 

Acres  Produc 

Winter  wheat bu.      3,884  69,912 

Spring  wheat 

Corn 

Oats 

Rye 

Barley 

Irish  potatoes 

Sweet  potatoes 


30  300 

2,068  14,476 

146  2,774 

49  686 

2,560  71,680 

21  1,239 

6  390 


116  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Acres  Product 

Broom  corn .  .lbs.           10  2,750 

Millet tons    2,080  3,120 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         23  1,150 

Milo  maize tons         63  158 

Kaffir  corn "       4,900  12,250 

Alfalfa "        2,317  13,869 

Prairie  hay "     5,493 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $3,178 

Butter,  lbs 28,784 

Milk  sold $160 

Wool  clip,  lbs 18,700 

Cheese,  lbs 1,200 

Garden  products  sold $717 

Horticultural  products  sold $107 

Number 

Horses 2,735 

Mules  and  asses 174 

Milch  cows 1,088 

Other  cattle 24,000 

Swine 956 

Sheep ..  4,317 

1901.— Population,  1,526. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat * bu.      7,194  86,328 

Spring  wheat "             28  196 

Corn ."        1,857  5,571 

Oats "           281  5,058 

Rye "           602  5,418 

Barley (t       3,419  58,123 

Irish  potatoes "            20  740 

Sweet  potatoes "            13  741 

Broom  corn lbs.           70  28,000 

Sorghum gals.    5,500 

Millet tons    1,099  1,099 

Milo  maize "             59  118 


FARM    STATISTICS.  117 


Acres  Product 

Kaffir  corn tons    5,458  5,458 

Jerusalem "            15  30 

Alfalfa "       3,296  8,906 

Prairie  hay "     7,502 

Poultry  and  eggs $4,183 

Butter,  lbs 35,960 

Milk  sold $11 

Wool  clip,  lbs 20,400 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 40 

Garden  products  sold $1,565 

Horticultural $390 

Number 

Horses 2,886 

Mules  and  asses 132 

Milch  cows 984 

Other  cattle 27,185 

Swine 820 

Sheep 2,183 

1902.— Population,  1,573. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.    11,219  67,314 

Spring  wheat "      

Corn :.......   "        3,430  41,160 

Oats .".  "           143  3,146 

Rye "       1,265  8,855 

Barley "        2,804  58,884 

Irish  potatoes "               9  720 

Sweet  potatoes "     

Broom  corn lbs.             5  1,500 

Sorghum gals.    5,034  

Millet tons       403  605 

Milo  maize "           175  525 

Kaffir  corn "        4,562  13,686 

Jerusalem "             42  126 

Alfalfa "        3,432  11,807 

Prairie  hay "     4,257 


118  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Poultry  and  eggs $4,201 

Butter,  lbs 35,247 

Milk  sold ' $385 

Wool  clip,  lbs 13,000 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 

Garden  products  sold SI, 799 

Horticultural 

Number 

Horses 2,756 

Mules  and  asses 132 

Milch  cows 825 

Other  cattle 27,460 

Swine 602 

Sheep 4,736 

1903.—  Population,  1,592. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.    11,489  206,802 

Spring  wheat "            40  560 

Corn "        1,792  17,920 

Oats "          308  7,392 

Rye "           743  9,659 

Barley "       4,628  138,840 

Irish  potatoes "             21  1,470 

Sweet  potatoes "             24  1,800 

Buckwheat "     

Flax "             27  162 

Broom  corn lbs 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         38  2,660 

Millet tons       588  1,176 

Milo  maize "           156  312 

Kaffir  corn "       4,378  8,756 

Jerusalem "             10  20 

Alfalfa "        5,026  13,907 

Prairie  hay "     5,948 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $5,173 

Butter,  lbs 30,611 


FARM    STATISTICS.  119 


Milk  sold $735 

Wool  clip,  lbs 12,000 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 40 

Garden  products  sold SI, 405 

Horticultural 

Number 

Horses 2,776 

Mules  and  asses 129 

Milch  cows 1,003 

Other  cattle 24,548 

Swine 777 

Sheep : 1,470 

1904.— Population,  2,102. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.    18,450  36,900 

Spring  wheat "           478  1,912 

Corn "        1,286  19,290 

Oats "           507  2,535 

Rye "       1,015  8,120 

Barley "        8,368  100,416 

Irish  potatoes "             29  1,508 

Sweet  potatoes "               4  260 

Buckwheat "             38  190 

Flax "               4  20 

Broom  corn lbs.         127  38,100 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         30  2,100 

Millet tons       315  315 

Milo  maize "           182  364 

Kaffir  corn "       4,906  9,812 

Jerusalem "             22  44 

Alfalfa "        6,348  16,506 

Prairie  hay "      4,957 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $7,530 

Butter,  lbs 38,401 

Milk  sold $1,214 


120 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Wool  clip,  lbs 15,000 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 100 

Garden  products  sold $1,450 

Horticultural $154 

Number 

Horses 3,360 

Mules  and  asses 216 

Milch  cows 1,129 

Other  cattle 29,805 

Swine 1,177 

Sheep 1,850 


1905.— Population,  2,187. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.    28,360 

Spring  wheat "        1,240 

Corn "        1,591 

Oats "  735 

Rye. "  412 

Barley "      10,203 

Irish  potatoes "  58 

Sweet  potatoes "  6 

Broom  corn lbs.         125 

Sorghum gals.    5,379 

Millet tons       987 

Milo  maize "  277 

Kaffir  corn "        5,367 

Jerusalem "  83 

Alfalfa .."        8,422 

Prairie  hay "     

Flax bu 


Product 

368,680 

12,400 

25,456 

13,965 

4,532 

256,075 

3,480 

198 

56,250 

987 
5r4 

10,734 
166 

13,600 
6,834 


Poultry  and  eggs $7,673 

Butter,  lbs 51,327 

Milk  sold $2,665 

Wool  clip,  lbs 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 299 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


121 


Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle .... 

Swine 

Sheep 


1906.— Population,  2,574. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu. 

Spring  wheat 

Corn "... 

Oats . 

Rye 

Barley 

Irish  potatoes 

Sweet  potatoes 

Broom  corn 

Sorghum gals. 

Millet tons 

Milo  maize 

Kaffir  corn 

Jerusalem 

Alfalfa 

Prairie  hay 

Flax 


Number 

3,572 

214 

1,306 

28,002 
1,525 
1,701 


24,186 

1,278 

1,675 

612 

362 

10,049 

51 

10 

194 

4,787 

561 

785 

6,081 

20 

10,570 


bu. 


Product 

338,604 

16,614 

41,875 

14,688 

4,344 

211,029 

3,723 

560 

87,300 

1,122 

2,747 

21,283 

70 

17,562 

4,743 

24 


Poultry  and  eggs .. $11,176 

Butter,  lbs : 49,326 

Milk  sold $2,137 

Wool  clip,  lbs 1,100 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 

Number 

Horses .  . 3,716 

Mules  and  asses 263 

Milch  cows .  .  1,355 

Other  cattle 22,768 

Swine 1,484 

Sheep 1,001 


122 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


1907.— Population,  3,430. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.    50,409 

Spring  wheat "        4,063 

Corn "        6,796 

Oats "        1,480 

Rye "  193 

Barley "      13,358 

Speltz "     

Buckwheat "     

Irish  potatoes "  90 

Sweet  potatoes "  6 

Cotton lbs.  5 

Flax bu 

Tobacco lbs 

Broom  corn "  420 

Millet tons    1,002 

Sugar  beets "     

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.         18 

Milo  maize tons    1,336 

Kaffir  corn .  ...   "        9,652 

Alfalfa "        9,080 

Prairie  hay "     

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Butter,  lbs 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 

Milk  sold 


Product 

504,090 
32,504 

169,900 

23,680 

1,544 

173,654 


5,220 

540 

1,375 


189,000 
1,503 

1,260 

3,340 

24,130 

19,638 

3,869 

117,041 

55,995 

348 

$2,331 


Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milk  cows 

Other  cattle .... 

Swine 

Sheep 


Number 

4,326 

400 

1,595 

18,556 

2,317 

710 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


123 


1908.— Population,  4,366. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat .bu.    53,330  266,650 

Spring  wheat "           673  2,093 

Corn "      14,453  144,530: 

Oats "        2,839  22,712 

Rye "           193  1,351 

Barley "      10,782  53,910 

Speltz "          610  6,100 

Buckwheat "               2  20 

Irish  potatoes "           100  8,000 

Sweet  potatoes "               9  675 

Cotton lbs •  

Flax bu.             5  25 

Tobacco lbs.             1  150 

Broom  corn "           332  99,600 

Millet tons    1,520  1,520 

Sugar  beets "             20  40 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.       231  13,860 

Milo  maize tons    2,707  6,767 

Kaffir  corn "      14,089  35,222 

Alfalfa "        9,888  14,834 

Prairie  hay "     4,168 

Value 
Poultry  and  eggs  sold $17,064 

Butter,  lbs 57,713 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 55 

Milk  sold $2,793 

Number 

Horses 4,779 

Mules  and  asses 622 

Milk  cows 1,885 

Other  cattle 17,481 

Swine 5,900 

Sheep 8 


124 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


1909.— Population,  4,594. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.    62,646  563,814 

Spring  wheat "           290  1,780 

Corn "      17,058  85,290 

Oats "       3,379  40,548 

Rye "          158  1,422 

Barley "        6,789  67,980 

Speltz "        1,397  16,764 

Buckwheat "             72  576 

Irish  potatoes "            47  2,585 

Cotton "     

Broom  corn lbs.         725  253,750 

Millet tons    1,910  2,865 

Sugar  beets "               2  18 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.       138  6,900 

Milo  maize tons    7,328  10,992 

Kaffir  corn "      15,595  23,392 

Alfalfa "      10,964  14,233 

Prairie  hay "     3,722 

Value 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $18,694 

Butter,  lbs 63,912 

Milk  sold , $3,258 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 275 

Number 

Horses 4,648 

Mules  and  asses 678 

Milch  cows 1,899 

Other  cattle 15,567 

Swine 6,260 

Sheep 93 

1910.— Population,  4,872. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat bu.    73,263  732,630 

Spring  wheat *           546  4,830 

Corn "      10,964  109,610 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


125 


Acres  Product 

Oats bu.      7,903  126,448 

Rye "           396  3,960 

Barley "        9,081  154,377 

Speltz "        2,131  36,227 

Buckwheat "             10  90 

Irish  potatoes "           388  29,100 

Cotton "               3  600 

Broom  corn lbs.      2,183  818,625 

Millet tons    1,759  2,931 

Sugar  beets "     . 

Sorghum  (syrup) gals.           9  450 

Milo  maize tons    5,586  13,965 

Kaffir  corn "      11,356  34,068 

Alfalfa "      11,275  11,146 

Prairie  hay "     3,930 

Value 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $19,747 

Butter,  lbs ., 79,230 

Milk  sold. .  .  . $3,390 

Honey  and  beeswax,  lbs 100 

Number 

Horses .  .  4,923 

Mules  and  asses 708 

Milch  cows 1,918 

Other  cattle 13,936 

Swine : .  3,782 

Sheep .  ... 283 

1911.— Population,  5,171. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat .bu.  29,857  119,428 

Spring  wheat "  694  1,388 

Corn "  18,040  234,520 

Oats "  9,154  119,002 

Rye "  365  3,285 

Barley "  12,145  133,595 


126 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Acres 
1,332 
111 
8 
604 
1,092 
66 


Speltz bu. 

Irish  potatoes. " 

Sweet  potatoes " 

Broom  c  3rn lbs. 

Millet tons 

Sorghum  for  syrup gals. 

Milo  maize m tons  11,057 

Kaffir  corn ' "      17,992 

Jerusalem  corn "  93 

Alfalfa "      11,863 

Prairie  hay "      

Quantity 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs.      2,748 

Cheese "  220 

Butter "    108,414 

Milk  sold 

Honey  and  beeswax lbs.         120 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 

1912.— Population,  5,196. 

Acres 

Winter  wheat bu.  103,889 

Spring  wheat "  160 

Corn "        5,936 

Oats "        3,095 

Rye "  58 

Barley "        7,008 

Speltz "  312 

Irish  potatoes "  93 


Produc 

7,992 

3,774 

504 

232,540 

1,638 

3,960 

27,643 

53,976 

279 

12,836 

3,261 

Value 

$26,667.00 

467.16 

28.60 

26,019.36 

6,303.00 

18.00 


Number 
6,050 
1,015 
4,883 
9,039 
748 
3,803 


Product 

124,668 

1,600 

136,528 

86,660 

580 

154,176 

6,552 

9,207 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


127 


Sweet  potatoes bu. 

Broom  corn lbs. 

Millet tons 

Sorghum  for  syrup gals. 

Milo  maize tons 

Kaffir  corn " 

Jerusalem  corn " 

Alfalfa " 

Prairie  hay " 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold 

Wool  clip lbs. 

Cheese. " 

Butter.  . " 

Milk  sold 

Honey  and  beeswax lbs. 

Horses 

Mules  and  asses 

Milch  cows 

Other  cattle 

Sheep 

Swine 


Acres 

4 

1,243 

1,352 

799 

8,347 

18,865 

20 

9,486 

Quantity 
500 

86,586 
220 


Product 

340 

497,200 

2,366 

59,925 

16,694 

56,595 

60 

14,991 

2,541 

Value 

$24,103.00 

100.00 

21,646.50 

11,251.00 

33.00 


Number 
6,390 
1,113 
6,964 
9,872 
702 
3,517 


1913.— Population,  5,116. 


Acres 


Winter  wheat bu. 

Spring  wheat " 

Corn " 

Oats " 

Rye " 

Barley : " 

Speltz " 

Irish  potatoes " 

Sweet  potatoes " 

Broom  corn lbs. 


22,990 

104 

15,341 

8,933 

66 

11,212 

47 

64 

550 


Product 

91,960 

30,692 

26,799 

198 

44,848 

2,176 

82,500 


128  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


Acres  Product 

Millet tons       911  911 

Milo "  16,291  12,218 

Kaffir "  30,857  23,143 

Feterita ! 

Alfalfa "  7,468  9,164 

Prairie  hay "  ......  3,985 

Value 
Poultry  and  eggs  sold $26,152 

Butter,  lbs 65,528 

Milk  sold $15,159 

Cheese,  lbs 175 

Number 
Horses 5,762 

Mules  and  asses 1,492 

Milch  cows 6,321 

Other  cattle 11,238 

Swine 2,050 

Sheep 157 

1914. — Population,  5,044. 

Winter  wheat bu.  102,984  1,853,712 

Spring  wheat "     

Corn "  4,219  67,504 

Oats "  3,610  108,300 

Rye "  381  6,096 

Barley "  6,123  134,706 

Speltz "  25  625 

Irish  potatoes "  52  2,600 

Sweet  potatoes "■  2  124 

Broom  corn lbs.  227  90,800 

Millet tons       443  664 

Milo "  7,327  18,318 

Kaffir "  16,563  49,689 

Feterita "  4,533  11,333 

Alfalfa "  7,474  21,247 

Prairie  hay "      1,796 


FARM    STATISTICS. 


129 


Value 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $26,326 

Butter,  lbs 54,568 

Milk  sold $25,135 

Cheese,  lbs 210 

Number 

Horses . 6,220 

Mules  and  asses 1,311 

Milch  cows -69,605    6>  f( 

Other  cattle 9,950 

Swine 2,361 

Sheep 183 

1915.— Population,  5,276. 

Acres  Product 

Winter  wheat. .  .  . ;bu.  107,608  1,614,120 

Spring  wheat "           206  2,472 

Corn "       4,127  119,683 

Oats "       4,762  133,336 

Rye "          506  7,084 

Barley "        8,801  220,025 

Irish  potatoes "             40  4,000 

Sweet  potatoes "               1  100 

Cowpeas tons         15  22 

Alfalfa "       9,593  28,779 

Broom  corn lbs.         274  123,300 

Jerusalem  corn "           285  855 

Feterita - .  .   "        8,527  No  record 

Sweet  clover "            40  No  record 

Prairie  hay.  .  . "     5,195 

Quantity  Value 

Poultry  and  eggs  sold $2,531,ti0P.17<J^ 

Wool  clip lbs.      1,072  235.84 

Cheese "          350  52.50 

Butter ; "     63,355  15,838.75 

Milk  sold 31,569.00 

Honey  and  beeswax lbs.         500  70 .  00 


130  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

Number 

Horses 6,639 

Mules  and  asses 1,530 

Milch  cows 9,176 

Other  cattle 18,553 

Sheep 182 

Swine 4;714 

The  1916  census  gave  Meade  County  a  population 
of  6,053. 


THE£OLD  CALABOOSE. 

(I  have  not  been  able  to  find  anyone  who  would  vouch  for  the  historical 
accuracy  of  this  chapter.  This  story  was  suggested  by  the  old  calaboose  it- 
self, and  if  the  incidents  related  did  not  actually  occur,  no  doubt  a  true  re- 
cital of  the  facts  would  be  even  more  interesting  and  more  startling.) 

Standing  in  the  rear  of  a  modern  building  facing 
Main  street,  and  used  as  a  storeroom  for  various  odds 
and  ends,  is  a  small  old  weather-worn  building  of  pecu- 
liar construction,  a  glance  at  which  excites  one's  curi- 
osity and  impels  a  closer  examination.  In  dimensions 
it  is  about  twelve  by  sixteen  feet,  eight  feet  high  in 
front  and  sloping  to  six  feet  in  the  rear.  It  is  built  of 
pine  boards,  or  planks,  two  inches  thick  and  eight 
inches  wide,  commonly  known  as  2x8's,  laid  flatwise 
one  upon  the  other  and  spiked  together,  forming  a 
solid  wall  eight  inches  thick.  In  one  end  is  a  window 
about  twelve  by  fourteen  inches,  iron-barred,  giving 
the  structure  the  appearance  of  a  prison.  And  a 
prison  it  is — or  was.  In  the  early  days,  when  the  city 
was  composed  largely  of  saloons  and  dance-halls,  and 
infested  by  cowboys,  gamblers,  and  bad  men  and 
women,  it  served  as  the  "bastile"  in  which  were  im- 
prisoned temporarily  the  murderer,  the  cow-thief,  the 
drunkard,  the  common  bum,  and  in  fact  all  who  for 
any  reason  came  within  the  grasp  of  the  strong  arm  of 
the  law — the  law  as  administered  by  the  Justice  Court 
of  Hiram  Smith,  J.  P. 

In  those  wild  days,  when  drunkenness,  carousing, 
gambling,    thieving   and    kindred   crimes    and    misde- 

[131] 


132  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

meanors  were  common,  and  murder  was  by  no  means 
uncommon,  many  of  the  leading  citizens,  and  many 
officers  of  the  law,  sought  to  court  favor  with  the  "bad 
men"  by  closing  eyes  to  many  of  the  lesser  crimes  and 
brawls.  But  there  were  some  who  loyally  and  stead- 
fastly stood  for  law  and  order,  and  demanded  prompt 
and  efficient  enforcement  of  law,  and  speedy  and  ade- 
quate punishment  for  law-breakers. 

Among  those  who  talked  most  and  loudest  for  law 
enforcement,  and  who  did  much  to  subdue  the  law- 
less element,  and  was  one  of  those  who  were  most 
active  in  originating  the  crusade  which  ultimately  drove 
out  the  saloon,  dance-hall  and  other  houses  of  vice  and 
iniquity,  was  Joseph  Randall.  He  publicly  and  vigor- 
ously condemned  vice  and  immorality  in  whatsoever 
form  it  was  manifested  ;  he  was  a  pillar  of  the  church, 
and,  if  one  were  to  take  his  word  for  it,  a  righteous  man 
and  one  without  sin.  He  it  was  who  headed  the  sub- 
scription list  by  which  funds  were  raised  to  build  the 
calaboose  to  which  the  reader  is  introduced  in  the  first 
paragraph.  And  it  is  the  irony  of  fate  that  he  was  the 
first  inmate,  being  confined  therein  for  seventy-two 
hours,  awaiting  a  requisition  from  the  Governor,  under 
which  he  was  taken  back  to  Ohio  to  face  trial  on  a  charge 
of  bigamy,  of  which  offense  he  was  duly  convicted. 

Of  this  and  many  other  things  connected  with  the  old 
calaboose  I  learned  from  an  old-timer  to  whom  I  ap- 
plied for  information  concerning  the  early  history  of 
the  town. 

It  was  here,  my  informant  told  me,  that  Sam  Howell 
and  Bill  Evans  were  confined  while  awaiting  their  pre- 
liminary examination  on  a  charge  of  holding  up  an  ex- 


MAKING    HAY    WHILE    THE    SUN    SHINES. 


134  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


press  wagon  and  killing  the  driver.  Across  the  street 
still  stands  the  old  building  in  which  Justice  Smith 
held  court  and  bound  them  over  for  trial ;  and  yonder, 
a  half-mile  away,  still  stands  the  lone  tree  on  which 
they  were  hanged,  the  populace  having  decided  to 
waive  the  formality  and  expense  of  a  trial  by  jury,  and 
incidentally  to  guard  against  a  possible  miscarriage  of 
justice. 

It  was  in  this  selfsame  prison  that  the  eastern  dude, 
whose  name  my  informant  had  forgotten,  was  confined, 
charged  with  having  stolen  Pete  Stringer's  horse.  In 
those  days  murder  was  sometimes  condoned,  but  horse- 
stealing, never.  And  my  informant  related  how  in  the 
dusk  of  evening  a  mob  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of 
lynching  the  aforesaid  dude.  Urged  on  by  Pete,  and 
emboldened  by  liberal  potations,  a  crowd  of  about 
twenty  armed  cowboys,  bad,  courageous  and  desperate 
men,  secured  a  rope  and  marched  en  masse  from  the 
Red  Dragon  Saloon  to  the  calaboose,  with  the  avowed 
intention  of  wreaking  vengeance  and  ridding  the  coun- 
try of  "one  more  hoss-thief."  At  the  door  of  the 
bastile,  however,  they  encountered  "Banta"  Sims,  the 
diminutive,  bowlegged  City  Marshal,  who  had  drawn 
a  dead-line  twenty  feet  in  front  of  the  building,  and, 
with  a  six-shooter  in  each  hand  and  determination  in 
his  mien,  he  informed  the  "committee"  that  he  was  the 
custodian  of  that  jail  and  the  guardian  of  the  peace 
and  dignity  of  the  city ;  that  the  accused  should  have 
a  fair  and  impartial  trial  by  a  jury  of  his  peers,  and  that 
he,  "Banta,"  would  shoot  the  first  "galoot"  who  set 
foot  across  the  dead-line. 

The  crowd  knew  "Banta"  and  grumblingly  retired, 


THE    OLD    CALABOOSE.  135 

and  the  case  against  the  dude  was  afterwards  dis- 
missed, Pete  having  found  his  horse  in  a  neighboring 
pasture,  whither  it  had  strayed. 

He  told  me  of  the  evening  when  Ike  Lewis  and  Dan 
Pillsbury  rode  their  horses  into  the  Blue  Crane  Saloon 
and  shot  out  the  lights.  Ike  was  arrested  and  thrown 
into  the  "cooler,"  but  Dan,  although  the  Marshal  had 
emptied  his  gun  at  him  when  he  refused  to  halt,  rode 
away,  but  returned  later  in  the  night,  shot  the  lock 
off  the  prison  door,  liberated  his  pal,  and  they  both  es- 
caped to  their  ranch  in  No  Man's  Land,  from  which 
point,  a  few  days  later,  Dan  sent  the  Marshal  two  dol- 
lars to  pay  for  the  lock  he  had  broken. 

He  told  me  how  Mike  Winters  had  been  arrested 
and  thrown  in,  for  no  worse  crime  than  that  of  wrap- 
ping his  billiard  cue  around  the  hand  of  an  innocent 
bystander,  and  how  the  Marshal  had  forgotten  to 
search  him,  and  the  next  morning  he  was  gone,  having 
with  his  hunting-knife  dug  his  way  out  beneath  the 
walls.  After  this  a  cement  floor  was  placed  in  the 
building,  to  guard  against  another  such  jail-breaking. 

He  related  an  incident  of  three  gamblers  who  were  ar- 
rested for  plying  their  vocation,  and  sentenced  each 
to  thirty  days  in  jail.  A  few  days  later  the  Mayor 
decided  to  pardon  them,  on  condition  that  they  would 
leave  town.  When  the  Marshal  went  to  the  jail  to 
offer  them  this  proposition,  he  found  two  of  them  en- 
tirely destitute  of  clothing.  Some  one  had  passed  a 
deck  of  cards  through  the  window,  and  one  of  the  in- 
mates had  won  the  entire  wardrobe  of  the  other  two, 
in  a  friendly  game  of  poker,  and  had  insisted  upon  an 
immediate  delivery  of  the  goods.     When  this  informa- 


136  HISTORY     OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

tion  was  conveyed  to  the  Mayor  he  promptly  revoked 
the  pardon. 

He  recounted  a  romance  in  which  the  participants 
were  a  man  and  a  woman,  convicted  on  the  same  day, — 
he  of  disorderly  conduct,  she  of  vagrancy.  Both  were 
fined,  and  sentenced  to  stand  committed  until  fine  and 
costs  were  paid.  Neither  party  having  the  necessary 
funds,  the  court  was  in  a  dilemma,  as  the  jail  was  not 
provided  with  suitable  accommodations  for  lady  guests. 
The  defendants  relieved  the  situation  and  solved  the 
quandary  by  offering  to  get  married.  A  collection  was 
accordingly  taken  up,  a  license  procured,  the  Justice 
performed  the  ceremony  gratis,  and  the  honeymoon 
was  celebrated  in  the  old  calaboose. 

Perhaps  the  saddest  occurrence  in  the  history  of  the 
old  building  was  the  fate  of  Jake  Cowan.  Jake  had 
had  trouble  with  a  neighbor,  Dave  Williams,  over  a 
boundary  fence ;  hot  words  and  threats  had  passed 
One  morning  Dave  was  found  dead  in  the  road  a  short 
distance  from  Jake's  house,  with  a  bullet  in  his  brain. 
A  post-mortem  examination  disclosed  that  the  bullet 
had  been  fired  from  a  38-calibre  Colt's  revolver.  Such 
a  weapon  was  found  in  Jake's  possession,  with  one 
empty  chamber.  This  circumstance,  together  with  the 
known  enmity  existing  between  the  two  men,  and  Jake's 
inability  to  prove  an  alibi,  resulted  in  his  conviction. 
The  jury  returned  its  verdict  at  midnight,  and  Jake  was 
led  back  to  the  jail  to  await  sentence.  On  the  following 
morning  when  the  jailer  unlocked  the  door  he  was  con- 
fronted with  the  lifeless  body  of  Jake,  swinging  from  a 
rafter,  his  feet  scarcely  more  than  three  inches  from  the 
floor.     The  jail  was  furnished  with  sleeping-cots,  the 


L 


4' 


SCENE    ON    FARM    OF    H.   BRENNAMIN. 


138  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 

bed  of  which,  instead  of  the  ordinary  wire  spring,  or 
canvas,  consisted  of  rope  ;  and  of  this  rope  the  prisoner 
had  secured  a  sufficient  length  to  pass  around  his  neck 
and  attach  to  a  rafter,  after  which  he  had  kicked  away 
the  box  on  which  he  stood  to  adjust  the  noose,  and  was 
left  suspended. 

Years  afterward,  another  man,  on  his  deathbed,  con- 
fessed to  having  fired  the  shot  that  killed  Dave  Will- 
iams, and  the  circumstances  and  particulars  which  he 
related  left  no  doubt  of  his  guilt.  His  confession,  how- 
ever, came  too  late  to  help  poor  Jake,  except  to  clear 
his  memory  from  the  ignominy  of  crime. 

In  the  rear  of  the  modern  building  facing  Main  street 
still  stands  the  old  calaboose.  The  storms  of  many 
winters,  the  scorching  suns  of  many  summers,  have 
left  their  marks  upon  it.  Men  have  come  and  men 
have  gone,  but  it  still  stands,  mute  reminder  of  the 
thrilling  incidents  of  pioneer  days.  If  those  gray  and 
weather-beaten  walls  could  speak,  what  tales  they 
might  unfold  of  crime,  of  intrigue,  of  adventure,  of 
suffering,  of  remorse,  and  of  repentance.  It  is  the  one 
ancient  landmark  by  which  the  bustling  city  of  today 
is  recognized  as  the  grown-up  village  that  marked  this 
spot  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  ;  the  one  link  that  con- 
nects the  present  with  the  all-but-forgotten  past ;  the 
''open  sesame"  that  unlocks  the  door  to  memory's 
cavern  and  brings  forth  the  rich  treasures  of  early  local 
history  for  the  entertainment  and  information  of  the 
curious  or  reflective  minds  of  this  generation. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


B.   F.   BISBEE. 

B.  F.  Bisbee,  frequently  called  "The  Big-bellied  Wheat  King 
of  Meade  County/'  was  born  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  on  June 
22nd,  1842.  He  was  married  at  Mason  City,  111.,  in  January, 
1867,  to  Rebecca  Grisson.  To  this  union  were  born  six  children, 
to  wit :  Carrie,  Grace,  Leona,  William  I.,  and  Maud  and  Myrtie, 
the  last  two  being  twins. 

Mr.  Bisbee  came  to  Meade  County  in  1887,  and  has  ever  since 
been  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising. 

Years  ago  he  earned  and  carried  the  title  of  "Farmer  Bisbee" 
because  he  was  one  of  the  very  few  men  in  Meade  County  who 
were  making  a  success  of  farming  at  that  time. 

He  has  been  Trustee  of  his  township,  and  is  a  member  of  the 

I.  0.  0.  F.  at  Meade. 

[141] 


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BIOGRAPHICAL.  143 


M.  A.  BIRD  AND  FAMILY. 

The  accompanying  picture  shows  a  cozy  home  view  of  Mark 
Bird  and  his  estimable  family,  Mrs.  Bird,  and  the  children,  Abner 
C,  Lorene,  Lillian  A.,  Harry  C,  and  Gladys. 

Mr.  Bird  conducts  a  general  merchandise  store  at  Missler,  and 
is  also  extensively  engaged  in  handling  horses  and  cattle. 


144 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


JOHN    P.    BALLARD    AND    WIFE. 

John  P.  Ballard  was  born  in  Logan  County,  Kentucky,  August 
7th,  1878.  He  came  to  Meade  County  in  August,  to  be  exact,  on 
August  21st,  1903,  and  made  homestead  entry  in  Cimarron  town- 
ship. He  was  married  to  Anna  L.  Shinogle  on  April  19th,  1911. 
They  have  one  child,  Woodrow  R.  A.  Ballard,  born  February  25th, 
1913. 

Mr.  Ballard  has  been  engaged  in  farming,  doing  a  little  real- 
estate  business  "on  the  side,"  and  has  prospered. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Lodge,  has  served  his  township 
as  Trustee,  and  his  political  party  as  precinct  Committeeman. 

Anna  L.  Shinogle  was  born  in  Meade  County,  Kansas,  on  Octo- 
ber 27th,  1890.     She  is  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  A.  Shinogle. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


145 


JOHN    CORDES    AND    FAMILY. 

John  Cordes  was  born  at  Cole  Camp,  Benton  County,  Missouri, 
on  July  15th,  1867,  of  German  parentage.  He  came  to  Meade 
County  March  1st,  1885,  and  commenced  life  as  a  young  pioneer 
on  the  pioneer  prairies. 

He  was  married  April  16th,  1893,  to  Maggie  Brunjes,  a  Meade 
County  girl.  To  this  union  four  children  have  been  born — Alice 
M.,  Barthold  H.,  Lola  K.,  and  Earnest  J.  E. 

Mr.  Cordes  has  been  engaged  in  the  business  of  farming  and 
stock-raising,  and  is  one  of  the  substantial,  prosperous  farmers  of 
Odee  Township. 

He  has  always  taken  a  strong  interest,  and  frequently  an  active 
part,  in  politics,  and  in  1912  was  elected  County  Commissioner  for 
the  Second  District. 


146 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


UNCLE    BEN. 

Benjamin  F.  Cox  was  born  in  what  is  now  Platte  County,  Mo.? 
but  which  was  then  unorganized  Government  land,  on  August 
19th,  1837.  He  came  to  Meade  County  on  September  3rd,  1894, 
and  remained  until  about  1908,  since  which  time  he  has  had  no 
settled  domicile,  but  has  spent  his  time  in  whatever  place  happened 
to  strike  his  fancy  for  the  time  being.  He  has  been  engaged  in 
farming,  stock-raising,  banking,  money-loaning,  promoting,  etc. 
At  one  time  he  owned  one-third  of  the  Fowler  townsite.  He  was 
Vice-President  of  the  first  bank  in  Meade  County,  of  the  first 
bank  in  Fowler,  and  is  now  Vice-President  of  the  Meade  State 
Bank.  He  holds  the  first  tax  receipt  issued  in  Meade  County ;  he 
drove  the  first  railroad  spike  in  Meade  County;  he  discovered 
artesian  water  in  Meade  County ;  and  he  wore  out  the  first  pair 
of  boots  made  in  Meade  County,  said  boots  being  made  by  a  cer- 
tain bootmaker,  Schwartz,  of  Fowler. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


147 


L.   C.   CASH. 


L.  C.  Cash  was  born  near  Nolin,  Kentucky,  May  28th,  1861. 
He  was  married  near  East  View,  Ky.,  on  Jan.  11th,  1883,  to  Katie 
Fife.  The  year  following  he  started  west  in  response  to  Horace 
Greeley's  famous  advice,  and  settled  in  Sumner  County  in  Novem- 
ber, 1884.  In  September,  1886,  he  moved  farther  west,  out  where 
the  grass  was  a  little  shorter,  the  skies  a  little  bluer,  settling  in 
Meade  County  on  September  19th,  1900. 

Then  for  five  or  six  years  he  worked  as  head  clerk  in  Parson's 
big  store  at  Plains,  but  feeling  the  need  of  more  outdoor  life  he 
finally  resigned,  and  engaged  in  farming  for  four  years.  He  then 
built  a  modern  hotel  in  Plains,  and  has  been  egnaged  in  the  hotel 
business  ever  since.  This  hotel,  which  is  one  of  the  best  arranged 
to  be  found  anywhere,  was  designed  entirely  by  Mr.  Cash,  and  was 
for  the  most  part  built  by  him  and  his  sons.  It  is  of  concrete 
blocks,  the  blocks  having  been  manufactured  by  Mr.  Cash  in 
Plains. 

His  family  consists  of  three  sons  and  one  grandson. 


148 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


CHESTER    DALGARN. 

J.  Chester  Dalgarn  was  born  in  Meade,  Kansas,  July  6th,  1895, — 
strictly  a  Meade  County  product.  He  graduated  from  the  Meade 
High  School,  after  which  he  took  a  full  post-graduate  course.  He 
has  taught  school,  but  the  line  of  work  he  intends  following,  and 
for  which  he  is  fitting  himself,  is  electrical  engineering. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


149 


DAMON    AND    PYTHIAS. 

The  above  engraving  was  made  from  a  flashlight  kodak  picture 
taken  of  Ferol  Stevens  and  John  Sullivan,  sons  of  their  respective 
"dads."  The  young  fellows  decided  to  "sit  up"  until  the  "old 
fellows"  returned  from  lodge,  but  the  old  boys  proved  to  be  the 
"best  stayers,"  and  on  their  return  home  found  the  "untried 
neophytes"  fast  asleep  in  each  other's  arms. 


150 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


F.    W.   FICK 


LOUISE    FICK. 


Ferdinand  W.  Fick  was  born  at  Hansfelde,  Prussia,  March  7th, 
1856.  At  about  seven  years  of  age  his  parents  came  to  America, 
and  Fred's  boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 
He  was  married  at  St.  Joseph,  Dec.  13th,  1878,  to  Louise  Miller, 
she  having  been  born  in  Loningen,  Switzerland,  June  8th,  1858. 

Five  children,  four  girls,  one  boy,  are  the  result  of  this  marriage. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fick  came  to  Meade  County  March  1st,  1888,  and 
have  been  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  most  of  the  time 
since. 

Air.  Fick  has  always  taken  a  prominent  part  in  politics;  was 
Mayor  of  Meade  for  two  terms,  and  for  two  terms  Clerk  of  the 
District  Court. 

He  takes  considerable  interest  in  fraternal  orders,  being  an  active 
member  of  the  Masonic  order,  both  the  Blue  Lodge  and  the  Chap- 
ter of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias. 


biographical.  151 


CHET       HTJLBURT. 

Chester  S.  Hulburt  was  born  at  El  Dorado,  Butler  County, 
Kansas,  January  15th,  1875.  He  was  married  to  Emma  J.  Sing- 
ley  on  November  30th,  1899,  at  Augusta,  Kansas.  Three  children, 
Helen  T.,  Helsey  H.  and  Walter  C,  complete  the  family. 

He  came  to  Meade  County  February  22nd,  1903.  His  principal 
business  has  been  farming  and  stock-raising,  but  for  a  year  or  two 
he  was  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business. 

He  is  now,  and  has  been  for  some  time  past,  engaged  in  breed- 
ing registered  Galloway  cattle,  and  while  others  can  show  larger 
herds,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  herd  of  " classier"  cattle  than 
those  on  Mr.  Hulburt's  farm. 

He  takes  a  great  interest  in  educational  matters,  and  is  at  pres- 
ent a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  Meade  city  schools. 


152  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


"     -^TT      ^     —r    " 


BILLY        JOBLING. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  153 


"BILLY"  JOBLING. 

William  Jobling  was  born  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  January  8th,  1864, 
He  came  to  Meade  County  March  1st,  1879,  and  has  been  a  con- 
tinuous resident  of  the  county  ever  since.  His  father  was  presi- 
dent of  a  company  that  settled  a  colony  of  sixteen  families  at  Pear- 
lette.  Of  all  of  that  colony  Mr.  Jobling  is  the  only  one  remaining 
in  Meade  County,  and  it  is  probable  that  he  is  the  oldest  settler 
now  in  the  county.  He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in 
politics,  and  while  never  soliciting  political  honors  for  himself,  has 
frequently  had  such  honors  forced  upon  him.  He  has  served  his 
township  as  Clerk,  Trustee,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace ;  he  has  been 
County  Commissioner  from  the  First  District,  and  he  has  been 
Clerk  of  the  School  Board  in  his  district  for  fifteen  or  more  years. 

Fraternally  he  is  quite  prominent  in  the  Masonic  order.  He  is  a 
member  of  Webb  Lodge  No.  275,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Meade;  of 
Meade  Chapter  R.  A.  M.  No.  243 ;  R.  S.  M.  No.  13,  Hutchinson ; 
K.  T.  No.  25,  Dodge  City ;  Consistory  No.  2,  Wichita ;  and  A.  A. 
O.  N.  M.  Shrine,  Wichita. 


154 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


J.    O.    KEITH    AND    FAMILY. 

John  0.  Keith  was  born  January  8,  1863,  in  Perry  County,  Illi- 
nois. He  came  to  Meade  County  in  1894,  and  on  September  4th, 
1898,  was  married  to  Matie  B.  Hinsdale.  To  this  union  two 
children  have  been  born,  Dot,  the  daughter,  only  surviving. 

Mr.  Keith  farmed  and  taught  school  until  1910,  when  he  moved 
to  Meade  and  engaged  in  the  implement  business,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  two  years  and  then  sold  out.  He  has  served  as  Clerk 
of  the  District  Court,  and  is  Clerk  of  the  First  Baptist  Church. 

He  is  quite  prominent  in  fraternal  societies,  being  a  Past  Grand 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  at  present  Chief  Patriarch  of  the  Encamp- 
ment branch  of  the  Odd  Fellows  order. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


155 


H.   H.    KIRCHNER. 

H.  H.  Kirchner  was  born  at  Worden,  Douglas  County,  Kansas, 
January  5th,  1879.  He  was  married  to  Delia  Layman  at  Arling- 
ton, Kansas,  February  18th,  1903. 

He  is  not  an  old  resident  of  Meade  County,  having  purchased 
the  Gardner  ranch  and  settled  here  on  April  10th,  1915,  but  his 
year's  residence  in  this  county  has  convinced  him  that  he  has  at 
last  found  just  what  he  has  been  looking  for,  and  no  inducement 
within  the  limit  of  human  probability  would  tempt  him  to  leave 
Meade  County. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the  Chapter  of 
Royal  Arch  Masons. 


156 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


TOM    MURPHY. 

Thomas  L.  Murphy,  shown  above  in  a  characteristic  pose,  is 
one  of  the  biggest-hearted,  whole-souled,  most  congenial  Irishmen 
that  ever  escaped  from  Cork,  and  how  or  why  they  ever  permitted 
Tom  to  escape  is  a  mystery. 

He  was  born  at  Springfield,  111.,  August  29th,  1858.  He  re- 
moved to  Kansas,  and  on  January  30th,  1888,  was  married  to 
Effa  Cool,  at  Columbus.  They  are  now  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren. 

Tom  came  to  Meade  County  on  January  11th,  1904,  being  one 
among  the  old  "new  settlers.'' 

He  is  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  and  is  well  satisfied 
and  prosperous. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


157 


R.   M.   PAINTER. 

R.  M.  Painter  was  born  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  a  long  time  ago. 
He  came  to  Meade  County  in  the  fall  of  1884,  and  filed  on  a  home- 
stead, where  he  resided  until  1915,  when  he  left  the  farm, — or 
far^ms,  it  might  be  more  accurate  to  state,  as  he  owns  something 
less  than  half  a  township, — and  came  to  Meade,  where  he  opened 
a  law  office. 

"Cap,"  as  he  is  usually  called,  has  had  a  varied  career,  at  differ- 
ent times  following  different  vocations.  He  has  had  experience 
in  the  law,  newspaper  work,  the  army,  the  legislature,  and  while 
he  has  never  made  politics  a  business  he  has  always  been  actively 
interested. 

He  was  the  first  Representative  of  Meade  County,  the  first 
Post  Commander  of  the  local  G.  A.  R.,  for  several  years  President 
of  the  Southwestern  Veterans'  Association,  and  is  now  Depart- 
ment Commander  of  the  G.  A.  R.  of  Kansas. 


158 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


J.   S.   PRICE. 


John  Shelby  Price  was  born  at  Kenton,  Ohio,  April  4th,  1874. 
He  came  to  Meade  County  in  the  spring  of  1887.  He  was  married 
to  Susan  Winnifred  Bonham,  August  19th,  1907.  To  this  union 
two  children  were  born,  Frances  Evlyn,  now  aged  6,  and  Shelby 
Winfred,  aged  2. 

With  the  exception  of  four  years  during  which  time  he  was 
sheriff  of  Meade  County,  Mr.  Price  has  been  engaged  in  the  live- 
stock business. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


159 


MRS.  J.   S.   PRICE. 


Susan  Winnifred  Bonham  was  born  in  Hardin  County,  Ohio, 
April  27th,  1876.  She  came  to  Meade  County  with  her  parents 
in  1885,  where  she  resided  until  her  death,  March  6th,  1914. 

She  was  elected  Register  of  Deeds  in  1900,  and  served  two 
terms. 


-m 


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PERRY    BROS. 

Editors  and  Proprietors  of  The  Fowler  News  and  The  Bucklin 

Banner. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


161 


A.   B.    ROBERTS. 

Albert  B.  Roberts  was  born  at  Richmond,  Indiana.  He  was 
married  at  Lynn,  Indiana,  August  15th,  1880,  to  Lizzie  S.  Johnson, 
and  came  to  Meade  County  November  6th,  1895. 

He  has  three  children,  Walter  J.,  Adgar  N.,  and  Alice  M. 

He  has  been  engaged  in  farming,  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
term  as  County  Commissioner  from  the  First  District. 


162 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


BERT    STOUT. 

Bert  Stout  was  born  at  Logansport,  Indiana,  September  4th, 
1884.  He  came  to  Meade  County  in  1908,  and  settled  in  Mertilla 
Township,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


163 


G.   W.   ROBERTS. 

G.  W.  Roberts  was  born  on  February  23rd,  1856,  in  Grant 
County,  Wisconsin.  He  came  to  southwest  Kansas  in  1900,  first 
locating  in  Pawnee  County,  coming  to  Meade  County  in  the 
spring  of  1913.  He  was  married  to  Miss  L.  M.  Hockett  in  Jan- 
uary, 1903,  and  is  the  father  of  six  children. 

Mr.  Roberts  has  been  engaged  in  farming,  and  has  the  distinc- 
tion of  never  having  experienced  a  failure  of  his  wheat  crop  in 
southwest  Kansas.  His  lowest  average  yield  per  acre  for  any  year 
is  10  bushels,  the  highest  being  33  bushels. 


164 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


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J.   I.   STAMPER. 

J.  I.  Stamper  (Col.  Jim)  was  born  at  Sweetwater,  Term.,  De- 
cember 22nd,  1869.  He  came  to  Meade  County  in  May,  1885. 
He  was  married  at  Meade,  December  25th,  1900,  to  Lottie  W. 
Snyder.     They  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  Jamie,  born  in  Meade. 

Jim  has  been  rather  versatile  in  his  pursuits,  having  been  at 
different  times  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  well-drilling, 
has  taken  a  flyer  in  the  mercantile  business,  was  postmaster  at 
Meade  under  President  Taft,  but  for  several  years  last  past  he  has 
devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  auctioneering,  at  which 
calling  he  has  met  with  remarkable  success. 

He  is  now  President  of  the  State  Auctioneers'  Association. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


165 


WILLIS    WOLFE. 

Willis  Wolfe  was  born  at  Wheeling,  Missouri,  February  5th, 
1888.  He  was  married  at  Wheeling,  Mo.,  October  5th,  1910,  to 
Lulu  Mae  Norman,  and  came  to  Meade  County  in  March,  1911. 

Two  boys,  Leonard  M.  and  Norman  B.,  have  come  to  brighten 
their  Meade  County  home. 

Mr.  Wolfe  has  been  engaged  principally  in  the  cattle  business, 
but  as  a  side  line  he  sells  automobiles  and  Fords. 


THREE    SCHUHMACHERS. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  167 


THREE  SCHUHMACHERS. 

L.  F.  Schuhmacher  was  born  September  5th,  1882,  at  Mexico, 
Missouri.  Lon  early  realized  the  possibilities  of  Meade  County, 
and  emigrated  here  in  1886.  He  was  married  at  Meade  February 
21st,  1907,  to  Maude  Stansill. 

Their  three  boys,  L.  F.,  Jr.,  Nelson  R.  and  Gordon  S.,  are  shown 
in  the  above  picture. 

Mr.  Schuhmacher  has  been  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business 
at  Meade  for  the  last  ten  years. 


168 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


O.   R.   STEVENS. 


0.  R.  Stevens  was  born  in  Pottawatomie  County,  Kansas,  March 
22nd,  1879.  He  was  married  in  Barber  County,  Kansas,  Novem- 
ber 19th,  1902,  to  Miss  Tressie  Grigsby.  A  son,  Ferol  Clifford,  was 
born  at  Coats,  Kansas,  August  16th,  1905. 

Mr.  Stevens  came  to  Meade  County  April  30th,  1906,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Meade  until  September, 

1914,  when  he  removed  to  Wichita. 

Mr.  Stevens  is  one  of  the  prominent  fraternalists  of  the  State. 
He  was  Department  Commander  of  Patriarchs  Militant  from 
January  1st,  1908,  to  January  1st,  1913,  with  the  rank  of  Brig- 
adier-General, and  is  the  present  Grand  Patriarch  of  the  Grand 
Encampment  of  Kansas,  being  elected  to  that  office  October  12th, 

1915.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Judiciary  Committee  of  the 
Grand  Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  Kansas. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


169 


C.   A.   UNDERWOOD. 


Underwood  was  born  in  Logan  Co  ,  Ohio,  March  19th, 
came  to  Meade  County  in  1905,  where  he  took  a  home- 
engaged  in  farming,  which  occupation  he  has  followed 


member  of  the  I.  0.  O.  F.,  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
was  formerly  a  member  of  Co.  E,  Ohio  National  Guard. 


Chas.  A. 
1860.     He 
stead  and 
ever  since. 

He  was  married  at  Meade  on  April  18th,  1907,  to  Margaret  K 
Nichols. 

He  is  a 
Eagle,  and 


170 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


MPS.   C.   A.   UNDERWOOD. 

Margaret  K.  Nichols  was  born  in  Logan  County,  Ohio,  in  1866. 
She  was  appointed  postmistress  of  New  Jerusalem,  Ohio,  by  Pres- 
ident Cleveland,  which  office  she  conducted  for  eleven  years.  She 
also  conducted  a  grocery  store  at  that  place. 

On  April  18,  1907,  in  Meade,  Kansas,  she  became  the  wife  of 
Charles  A.  Underwood. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


171 


MORTON    WILSON. 


MRS.   MORTON    WILSON. 


Morton  Wilson  was  born  in  Appanoose  County,  Iowa,  Feb- 
ruary 3rd,  1865.  He  was  married  in  Meade  County  October  30th, 
1892,  to  Jennie  C.  Heape. 

Mrs.  Wilson  came  to  Meade  County  in  March,  1885,  Mr.  Wil- 
son coming  in  May  of  the  same  year. 

They  were  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  until  1915,  when 
they  retired  and  moved  to  Meade. 

They  have  two  daughters,  Ethel  and  Marie,  both  at  home. 


172 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


M.   M.   WAY. 

Marion  M.  Way  was  born  in  McPherson  County,  Kansas,  Jan 
27th,  1876.  He  came  to  Meade  County  March  12th,  1900,  and 
was  married  October  16th,  1901,  to  Rosetta  F.  Bunyan.  He  has 
one  child,  a  boy  nine  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Way  has  been  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising.  He 
has  served  his  township  and  school  district  in  various  offices. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


173 


D.   P.   WYSONG. 

D.  P.  Wysong  was  born  at  Lynville,  Franklin  County,  Va., 
January  16th,  1851.  He  was  married  at  Stewartsville,  Bedford 
County,  Va.,  April  6th,  1876,  to  Dora  Stewart.  Two  sons  were 
born,  James  T.  and  Ansel  S. 

He  came  to  Meade  County  March  25th,  1885,  and,  like  many 
of  the  other  early  settlers,  has  been  engaged  in  several  different 
lines  of  work,  among  which  are  teaching,  contracting,  farming, 
and  the  practice  of  law. 

Mr.  Wysong  has  served  his  county  as  County  Superintendent, 
County  Clerk,  and  County  Attorney. 

The  above  picture  shows  him  with  his  grandson,  Stewart,  son 
of  Ansel  S.  Wysong. 


174  HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


R.   E.   STEELE. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  175 


R.  E.  STEELE. 

R.  E.  Steele  was  born  in  1850,  and  reared  in  Prince  William 
County,  Va.  In  1874  he  came  west,  locating  in  Douglas  County, 
Kansas.  In  1878  he  removed  to  Barber  County,  and  came  to 
Meade  County  in  1892. 

He  was  married  in  Meade  County  to  Miss  Jennie  W.  Mills. 
Two  children  were  born,  both  girls,  and  both  of  whom  are  married, 
one  to  Mr.  Eustace  Smith,  a  prominent  young  lawyer  of  Hutch- 
inson, and  one  to  Mr.  E.  W.  McNaghten,  also  of  Hutchinson. 

Mrs.  Steele  died  in  1907,  and  afterwards  Mr.  Steele  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Curtis  Harsha,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Mr.  Steele  has  been  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  practically 
all  of  his  life,  and  has  probably  handled  more  cattle  than  any  other 
Meade  County  citizen.  The  names,  Steele  &  Cockins,  Cockins  & 
Steele,  The  Meade  Land  &  Cattle  Co.,  the  Crooked  L  Ranch,  are 
familiar  to  everyone.  While  Mr.  Steele  has  been  interested  in 
many  ranch  propositions,  the  Crooked  L,  located  about  three 
miles  south  of  Meade,  is  his  best-known  venture.  This  ranch, 
while  not  extensive  in  acreage,  is  one  of  the  best  little  ranches  in 
the  State.  Here  is  to  be  found  several  hundred  acres  of  alfalfa 
under  a  good  system  of  irrigation,  and  here  is  produced  the  feed 
that  fattens  several  thousand  of  the  Crooked  L  brand  yearly. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  177 


FRANK  SOURBEER  AND  FAMILY. 

Franklin  Sourbeer  was  born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  Nov. 
19th,  1838.  He  was  married  to  Annie  M.  Kessler  at  Harrisburg, 
Pa.  Mr.  Sourbeer  is  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  locating  in  Meade 
County  June  30th,  1879.  H's  principal  business  was  farming, 
up  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  he  retired  and  moved  to  Meade. 
For  six  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  magistrates  of  Meade  Center 
ToAvnship. 

Mr.  Sourbeer  enlisted  in  June,  1861,  in  Co.  D  of  the  First 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Reserve  Corps.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  R  n,  August  29th,  1862.  In  1863  he  was 
made  Captain  of  Co.  H,  Fiftieth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Militia. 
He  served  as  Second  Sergeant  in  Co.  K,  Two  Hundred  Third 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  179 


THE  MEADE  CHECKER  CLUB. 

The  Meade  Checker  Club,  which  claims  to  be  invincible  and  is 
always  ready  to  prove  its  claims,  is  composed  of  the  following 
business  men :  from  left  to  right,  top  row,  E.  W.  Fletcher,  Dr.  T. 
E.  Henry,  Dick  Collins,  C.  M.  Gates,  Jay  Ellis,  John  Wood; 
bottom  row,  Isaac  Covalt,  N.  M.  Ellis,  Harry  Hoon,  E.  W.  Bocook. 


DON    T.   EDWARDS,   THE    PIONEER    LAND    MAN. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


181 


A.  JACK  BYRNS. 


182 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


A.  .J.    PADEN. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


183 


J.    H.    ELLIS. 


184 


HISTORY    OF    MEADE    COUNTY. 


THE    AUTHOR  S    BEST    PRODUCTIONS. 


MADGE.  KATHLEEN.  LENORE.  JOHN   P. 


THE    MISSUS. 


im 


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